The Ties that Bind Us
by Torchwood85
Summary: "Now you listen to me, Damon Salvatore," She was inches from his face, her eyes burning with conviction, "The Damon I know isn't afraid of anything. The vampire, my sire, he isn't afraid of death and certainly not love. He's better than that. He's fierce and loyal and damn it he takes what is his because he deserves it and he'll protect it no matter what the cost."
1. Chapter 1

"The ties that bind us are sometimes impossible to explain.  
They connect us, even after it seems like the ties should be broken. Some bonds defy distance, and time, and logic. Because some ties are simply… meant to be."

― M.G.

**Chapter 1**

Elena awoke with a gasp, bolting upright in the darkened parlor of the boarding house, her eyes blurring as they adjusted to the dim light cast from the glowing embers in the hearth.

There was a movement beside her, a familiar voice speaking as he gently took her hand. "Hey."

She groaned in response, rubbing her temple to quell the throbbing in her head as he helped her shift to lean against the arm of the sofa, "What happened?"

"You were attacked." Stefan replied, his thumb brushing against the back of her hand in a gesture intended to soothe, but only served to make her shudder.

"I don't remember," She extricated her hand and pulled her hair from her face, "Where was I?"

"The Grill," He prompted, forehead creased deeply in a concerned expression that up until a week ago might have turned her to mush, but not this time. "Damon said you might not-"

"Damon," She gaped, eyes widening as a memory surfaced, panic making her stomach churn as she turned to search the darkness for the striking cobalt gaze that consumed her thoughts, the last thing she could recall before darkness had taken over, "Where is he? Where's-"

"_He_ is here." A voice quipped in amusement and Elena released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding at the sight of him as he sauntered over to the bar. "And if I'm not mistaken- the Scooby Gang are too."

He glanced up from the decanter in his hand with a quirked brow, seeing her now for the first time since she'd regained consciousness and she nearly gasped at the barely contained rage she found staring back as he ran a cursory glance over her, his cerulean orbs turned almost black.

She raised a brow in silent inquiry and his eyes shifted toward the front door in response.

"In three, two, one," He lifted the glass to his lips and tossed it back, "Cue Barbie-"

"Elena!" The front door slammed open and the blonde flashed to her side, worry creasing her forehead reminiscent of the younger Salvatore's patented expressions.

"Oh my god!" Caroline pulled her friend into a fierce hug, "I'm so glad you're okay!"

Stefan chuckled as Elena tried to extract herself from the vice-like grip the vampire had caught her in. "Care, human remember-"

"Oh," She released her immediately with an apologetic chuckle, "Sorry I got carried away."

"It's fine," She smiled in response, her face now returning to its usual pallor, "I'm fine, really."

Damon snorted his disagreement but another flurry of movement signaled Jeremy and Bonnie's arrival so she let it go for the moment and he turned away to toss a few logs on the fire, the flames licking hungrily at the timber as they rose higher.

"I'm glad you're okay Sis." Jeremy pulled her into an awkward hug before flopping to the floor by her feet.

"Thanks Jer." She smiled down at him.

Bonnie took her hand, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." She offered a reassuring squeeze in response, ignoring the pointed look from the blue eyed vampire on the other side of the room as he'd returned to his decanter and began stirring Caroline.

"So where's my _I'm-so- super-glad-you-didn't-die _hug huh?" Damon pouted theatrically, "And here I thought we were besties-"

"Bite me." Caroline rolled her eyes, hip cocked as she glared at her Sire.

"No thanks," He quipped, "Been there, bought the T-shirt."

"You're disgusting." She scoffed, flopping down on the sofa beside Elena and crossing her arms indignantly.

"I know." He smirked in response and Elena snorted in amusement despite her now throbbing headache.

"So what happened?" Bonnie turned her attention back on Elena, choosing to ignore the bickering pair of vampires.

"I'm not sure," It was a lie of course, at least partly.

She ducked her head as she toyed with the hem of her shirt still disturbingly soaked in her own blood and opted for trying to recall the events that had led to their current drama rather than relive her earlier idiocy.

"I'd just said goodbye to Matt and I was just about to get in the car but there was this woman in the ally, I thought she was hurt but-"

Her eyes shot to Damon and a cold chill ran up her spine, her back throbbing like a thousand tiny needles were piercing it all at once, "She hurt you."

"What?" Damon's eyes flashed briefly in surprise.

"She hurt you," Her brow furrowed, "You need blood."

When he remained at the bar she narrowed her eyes, fear driving her scolding, "Damon!"

"Geez, alright already." He rolled his eyes, but made no further comment as he strode off into the darkened hall to the kitchen.

"Freak," Jeremy teased, "What? Were your Damon senses tingling or something?"

"Shut up." She snorted, kicking his shin lightly with her foot as he stood to raid the elder brother's liquor supply in his absence, "I do not have urgh, he just felt- off I guess?"

The smile slipped from her lips as she felt Stefan's hand around her own, her skin protesting the contact to the point of pain which she tried to ignore.

"You said there was a woman?" Stefan prompted, gaining the attention of the younger Gilbert as he looked up from the bottle in his hand and watched his sister fidget, every now and then glancing nervously toward the kitchen.

He knew they'd become close and had no doubt in his mind that when it came to his sister's safety, Damon would never be questioned over his ability to keep her alive and indeed to some point exceeded his brother's ability to make the girl smile even if only briefly.

He made a mental note to get her alone later and question her over it as he poured himself a glass of bourbon and filled a second, offering it out to her as a means to extricate herself from Stefan's grasp as he returned to sit by her feet.

"Thanks." She took a sip as she flashed him a grateful smile.

"So this woman," Bonnie made herself comfortable on the coffee table, "A witch?"

"They wanted my blood," She breathed with an affirmative nod, "And they were willing to use any means necessary to get it."

"What happened to them?" Caroline hissed, furious they'd dared attack her.

Her reply was quiet, final. "Damon."

She wasn't going to elaborate and no one felt the need to question it any further. She'd agreed wholeheartedly with his choice as she'd watched him dispose of the entire clan in less than a second.

"Good." She heard her brother mumble through clenched teeth and she almost smiled, "When we arrived there was nothing left but a few spots of blood, I was worried-"

"That's Damon for you." Stefan supplied with a roll of his eyes.

"Stefan." Elena's warning taking him by surprise, her fist tightening around the glass in her hand, hackles raised to defend the elder vampire.

"There was a fair amount of residual energy left over," Bonnie supplied, effectively diffusing the situation, "Whatever spell they used it took an incredible amount of power."

"Yea," Jeremy raised a cautious brow at the girl beside him, "You nearly had a seizure over it"

"Did anyone else get hurt?" Elena gaped, suddenly realizing the sheer amount of people that had been in the Grill just before she'd stormed out.

"No." Bonnie smiled reassuringly.

"You're lucky Damon came along when he did." Jeremy offered softly and Elena groaned in acknowledgement.

"I know."

"Not the greatest end to a Friday night I'll admit." The raven-haired vampire spoke up as he re-entered the parlor and moved to top his tumbler of blood with Bourbon, tossing a glare in Jeremy's direction at the almost empty decanter.

Speaking of which, Elena had spent the better part of her Friday searching said vampire out because he'd been avoiding her of course, and finally, _finally, _she'd found him at the bar drowning his sorrows in a bottle of liquor.

She'd been annoyed to begin with but when she got half way across the room and none other than Andy _fucking _Star appeared and draped herself across his lap with her tongue firmly implanted so far down his throat it was impossible to tell where the news anchor ended and the vampire started, she'd seen red.

"So sorry I ruined your evening," Elena snipped, crossing the arm not holding a full glass of liquor across her chest, "I'm sure _Andie_ is just devastated."

"Hey," His brow lifted in irritation, "What's with all the Andie hatin'-"

"Nothing." She muttered under her breath, "I should be thankful you managed to drag yourself away long enough to-"

"Don't pull that shit with me Elena," He warned, not at all impressed with her high and mighty attitude after the night they'd had, "I've spent the last year continuously saving your ass and as a vampire, that comes with the perk of being consciously aware of every nuance of your existence, all the time."

She paled slightly. "You knew I was there?"

"If you thought anything otherwise," He scoffed, a knowing look on his handsome face, "You're an idiot."

Elena downed the remainder of her glass in a single mouthful.

"Creepy," Caroline quipped, returning her gaze to the doppelganger. "So what happened after that?"

"Well," Damon delighted in goading his progeny, "Dinner was fantastic, thanks for asking."

"Only you could make _dinner_ sound so ambiguously vulgar." She rolled her eyes.

"It's a skill what can I say," He mused, "I think she might even ask me out again if the volume was any indication-"

"Urgh," Caroline groaned, "Damon, really?"

Elena bristled but managed to remain silent as she stood, wobbling only slightly as she stepped towards him and held out her glass. He paused, watching her intently for a moment.

"You're jealous?" He rolled an amused glance from the brunette to his brother now glaring daggers.

"What?" Elena gaped.

"Green's not your best colour Elena." He teased as he filled her glass.

"It's irritation, I can assure you." Elena scoffed tossing back the amber liquid, clearly impressed she'd managed not to choke on it. At this rate she'd be as bad as him in no time at all.

"So jelly." He smirked into his own drink.

"Shut up." She crossed her arms defiantly, "Am not."

His returning leer was sinful and she nearly groaned at the sight despite being ever mindful that the three vampires in the room could pick up on any changes in her body chemistry, "Are too-"

"Elena!" Stefan effectively shut down their argument as he flashed to her side.

"What?" She furrowed her brow in confusion and took a step towards Damon at the younger brother's sudden appearance.

He made to reach out to touch the torn fabric of her shirt only to have his wrist snatched away at the last minute.

"Careful Steffy." Damon warned, eyeing his brother warily, "You and people blood can't be friends."

"I'm fine," He snatched his arm from Damon's grasp, returning his attention to the thin red sliver of flesh visible through the fabric on her shoulder, "Why didn't you tell me it was that bad?"

"It's fine, like I said," She shrugged, fingering the gash that was still healing, "It's just a scratch now-"

"It's deep, Elena," Stefan narrowed his eyes, "Let me at least take you to see Meredith-"

"Chill out baby bro," Damon drawled wearily, "Let the blood do its job."

Stefan sneered, "You fed her your blood?"

"Cut the crap, Stef," He hissed, standing to his full height and dragging Elena behind him as the two faced off, "How about dialing down that moral compass-"

"How many times are you going to force her to-"

"As many as it takes." Elena caught the infinitesimal twitch of Damon's lip, the veins around his eyes threatening to release the demon she could almost feel raging and straining against its confines.

"Damon." Her voice was quiet as she soothed a hand down the arm still holding her behind him to squeeze his fingers that gripped firmly but not painfully at her hip.

"Enough." The effect was almost instantaneous, as attuned to her as he was and his head cocked slightly shifting his attention to her despite his eyes remaining firmly on his brother.

"You first."

"Okay," Stefan lifted his hands in surrender and he took a hesitant step away.

"Damon."

Her voice was louder this time, more insistent and Stefan marveled as his brother's reaction, the demon within yielding almost immediately to her command and the tension in his muscles relaxed. "Fine."

Elena stood between the two, the look in her eyes a warning as she directed them at the younger brother. "I took it willingly, Stefan. End of discussion."

"Alright." Stefan muttered, with an imperceptible nod of his head that he seemed to share with the vampire behind her.

"Good," She returned her attention to the others who stood waiting to intervene if necessary, Bonnie with her lips set in a determined line, her brother ready at her side and Caroline with her fangs bared ready to pounce.

"It's ok guys, really," She soothed, the two women physically relaxing as Jeremy slumped back into the couch behind him, "Everyone's fine, okay?"

Bonnie nodded and Caroline shifted as her face returned to normal.

"I need a drink." She felt Damon move behind her and suddenly her knees buckled at the tension build up in her head.

"Urgh," The painful throbbing made her groan and the accompanying myriad of images that flashed across her closed eyelids made her stumble forward.

Stefan caught her against his chest a second later, "Elena?" He reached out to steady her, "Are you alright?"

"Don't," She flinched away instantly, his touch making her skin prickle as she stepped back away from him and into the solid wall of Damon's chest, "I'm sorry, it hurts, please-"

"Okay," Stefan nodded releasing his grip, watching as his brother steered her towards the sofa and a waiting Caroline who caught her in a hug as she dropped down into the cushions.

"It's ok, Sweetie." The blonde soothed, glancing helplessly between the brothers as she pulled the throw from the back of the sofa, "It's ok."

"What the hell was that?" Damon questioned his brother.

"Not a clue," He shook his head in confusion, "But it isn't the first time she's reacted like that."

Elena clutched her knees to her chest and kept her eyes closed tightly, the embrace of her friend calming her but not nearly as much as the relief she'd felt as Damon had gripped her arms, steadying her against his warm chest-

"Argh." She hissed, pressing her palms into her eyes to quell the ache in her head.

"What is it?" Bonnie rest a comforting hand on her raised knee.

She shook her head, barely even registering the question as another memory surfaced and she stilled, "I-oh god-my head-"

* * *

"_This doesn't have to be unpleasant child," Crooned the dark shadow shifting towards her from the alley way. "All we want is a little blood."_

"_Go to hell." She spat, turning to make a run for the Grill's front door only to find her path blocked by two more of the witch's rather menacingly armed off-siders._

"_Look's like we've got another feisty one," The old woman cackled as her apprentice pulled several vials from her bag, "I suppose at least this one doesn't have fangs."_

_Suddenly she felt herself lifted from the ground, the air rushing from her lungs as she felt herself connect with the wall with enough force that the bricks cracked under the pressure, their sharp edges biting into the skin of her back and arms before she dropped to the pavement below with a sickening thud._

"_Help," She could barely manage a whisper from her bloodied lips, "Damon-"_

_He appeared the moment she'd spoken his name, the entire clan dead before she could even blink. Relief flooded her despite the pain as she felt him pull her into his arms, the familiar smell of bourbon laced leather and cologne engulfing her._

"_What the hell did you think you were doing?" He shook her slightly, hysteria seeping in at the sight of her. "Coming here alone?"_

"_You were avoiding me," She accused, blood seeping from the corner of her lip, "I needed to see-"_

"_You need to drink." Damon hissed, the unmistakable sound of his canine's unsheathing making her head spin. _

_She shook her head in objection, pushing his arm away when he tore into the flesh of his wrist and held it to her lips."You're hurt."_

"_And you're dying," He snapped viciously, "Now drink-."_

"_No."_

"_Look, Princess, this is no time for the moral high ground," His irritation and fear barely contained as he held her tighter, "I can wait, but you can't-"_

"_Damon, I-"_

"_Elena." He pleaded, the damage to his body taking its toll as he slumped back against the wall._

* * *

"Elena, _fuck,_ stop!" Damon cursed as the crystal tumbler slipped from his fingers and shattered across the polished wood floor.

She groaned. "I can't-"

* * *

"_No," She struggled to lift her arms, groaning as she pulled the hair from her shoulder. She refused to budge an inch on the matter despite the fact she was in pain and quite possibly bleeding to death, but she couldn't risk losing him, not now, "Damon please," She clung to the front of his bloodied jacket. _

"_Fine," He seethed, growling as he suddenly maneuvering her into a better position in his lap, holding her against his chest as he pressed his wrist more insistently against her lips. "But just so we're clear, I'm having Stefan keep you on a leash from now on."_

"_Good luck with that." She snorted weakly, trying to ignore her racing heart as his fangs grazed the skin of her neck. "We're not together anymore."_

"_Then I guess __**I'll**__ have to you on a leash." He hissed against her throat, his fangs piercing neatly into her flesh and she bit into his wrist on reflex. _

_The instant they were joined the world went startlingly white, her heartbeat throbbing in his ears as life giving blood flowed between them, surging like a tidal wave in its intensity and bursting with so much power it threatened to consume the both of them. _

_He'd known it was a bad idea to begin with but he never expected, could never have even imagined it could have been like this with her. He cursed himself for being so damned whipped that he bent to her will without even so much as a single thought about consequences. Their shared blood merged and igniting with every pull he took from her veins and her from his, the delicate tether of blood beginning to knit the two of them together and he reluctantly pulled away, tearing his mouth from her neck with a groan at the loss._

_He felt her shudder in his arms, caught up in the dizzying sensation of second-hand blood lust and desire and another emotion he could scarcely put a name to let alone recall ever feeling anything as all consuming. But he'd let his guard down, realizing his error far too late as the gurgled chanting of the dying Witch reached his ears._

"_Adiuro vos quod animae alligavit et infractus…"_

"_No!" He growled, but it was already too late as the old windbag used the last of her remaining strength and the world suddenly exploded in fire around them._

_He felt the demon within rage free, echoed by something equally as fierce and terrifying within the girl in his arms, unyielding power enveloping them as the two forces came together against the onslaught until nothing remained save the two of them and a smattering of dust._

* * *

"Damon-" Her fingers were white as they clutched at the cushion below, her eyes wide as her shoulders shook, unconsciously reaching out to the thin tether still dancing in her mind.

"Don't." He hissed, reaching for a bottle of Scotch, quickly unscrewing the lid and tossing back almost half its contents before he spoke again. "You'll just make it worse_-_"

"I don't like the sounds of this," Stefan accused angrily, "How do you expect us to help if you're only telling us half the story-"

"We thought she was dead," Elena panted as her pulse raced, as the blue eyed vampire gaped unable to stop her, "Damon, but you- you-"

"Elena?" Bonnie looked worried now, Stefan looked incredulous and Damon livid as he stood gaping at her.

"No!" He hissed, rounding the table to tower over her, "Don't you dare say another word."

"If it wasn't for you I'd be dead!" She stared up at him angrily, "Why are you so mad-"

"Because I should never have done what I did," He hissed, running his fingers through his hair in frustration, "And this- oh this is bad."

"What?" She narrowed her gaze, hurt seeping through her anger.

"Stop that, just stop, Ok! You're taking it out of context." He growled, pushing away the shimmering tether that pulsed between them and she physically recoiled, her chest burning as he rejected it. "Get out of my fucking head!"

Caroline tilted her head in aggravation, "What the hell is going on?"

"Damon, what did you do?" Stefan narrowed his eyes at his brother.

"Damon, _please_," Elena whimpered as he pulled further away, her head pounding in time with her heart. His borrowed blood pumped furiously through her veins, the memory of it making her delirious despite the pain, "It hurts-"

"Shit." Her plea seemed to bring him to a sudden realization and flashed to her side, crouching down in front of her and taking her head in his hands. "It's okay, I'll fix this," She stilled at the contact, lifting her gaze as he spoke, "I promise."

"But-" Her mind reeled, reaching out for him in an attempt to pull him closer as her small fingers clutched at his hands.

"You need to calm down," The calmness of his own voice belying his inner turmoil, "I can't control this for the both of us, not like this, so here's what I need you to do Elena."

"I can't- it hurts-" She objected, wary enough despite her protests to try and keep her thoughts on controlling her breathing and not on other far more distracting things like the colour of his eyes or the fall of his dark hair or the pulse of his neck-

"Elena-" He warned, effectively halting those particular thoughts, "Focus."

"I can't," She shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks, "This isn't me, I'm just a human, not a witch or a vampire-"

"You're a doppelganger," His tone was firm but he held her face gently as he spoke, "You're supernatural by default, something like this was bound to happen eventually."

"How do I shut it off?" She gaped, noting the rise and fall of his chest through the tight black tee that left little to the imagination-

_Focus Elena!_

"Close your eyes and picture a giant mirror ball, can you do that for me?" His response a whispered hiss of breath that made her eyelashes flutter as he rest their foreheads together.

She nodded, taking a deep breath as he continued."Good, now I want you to drag everything inside the ball, what you're thinking, feeling, all of it- tuck it away inside so that nothing escapes.

_And for the love of all things holy do it fast because if you don't get out of my head right now I'm not gonna be held accountable for my action-"_

She gasped at the implication as another stream of unguarded emotion passed through her, a memory of his childhood, his Mother's soft caress across her cheek and words, so many words she didn't understand even as they'd exited her mouth unhindered but she felt the meaning behind them all the same.

"Ho paura, che cosa se non posso?" Her eyes snapped open and she groaned once more in pain.

"I know you are Sweetheart," He murmured, closing his eyes with a shake of his head, "It'll be alright, just keep it together ok, anything that's not you, I want you to picture it reflecting off the ball ok? Don't let anything in."

With a nod she her eyes shut tightly as she gripped at his shirt, following his instructions to the letter.

"What did she say?" Bonnie whispered over Stefan's shoulder.

"She's scared." He supplied quietly, watching his brother caress the love of his life with a tenderness that made him sick to his stomach.

"Elena speaks Italian?" Jeremy enquired softly, scratching his head as he looked on.

"No," Stefan replied knowingly, "But Damon does."

Elena felt him graze the edges of the mirror in her mind, tucking in a stray thought or feeling here and there until her eyes shot open, widening in relief and wonder as he opened his own.

"Good girl." He stared into her until with a nod she slumped forward into his arms in exhaustion.

He sighed in relief as he laid the now sleeping brunette down on the couch, pulling the throw over her body before grasping Jeremy's shoulder as he sat down beside his sister. "She'll be fine."

The boy nodded, the vampire's reassurance removing any doubts as to her wellbeing as he watched him remove himself to the bar and down three full glasses of Bourbon before anyone dared speak.

"So," Caroline shook her head in mild confusion, "Damon can read minds?"

"On a good day," He replied curtly, his eyes never leaving the sleeping doppelganger, "Most vampire's have a latent telepathic ability, whether they learn to use it or not is another thing entirely."

"Oh," Caroline stilled, a huff passing her lips and Damon wasn't sure whether to be thankful for the way her comment diffused a potentially volatile situation or irritated that she was bitching about him.

"Why couldn't you have passed that along instead of an uncanny ability to conveniently run into you whenever you want something."

"It comes with time and experience and as much as it pains me to admit this Barbie," He drawled, "I'm your Sire, you're drawn to me. Get used to it."

"Trust me," Bonnie remarked, "Between the Crows and the fog, bloodlust notwithstanding, be thankful that's all you got stuck with."

Caroline huffed in outrage. "Unfair."

"Chill out Barbie," Damon rolled his eyes, "If it really bothers you that much I'll make a point to find time between dramas to teach you."

"Really?" She perked up at that, genuine surprise gracing her.

"Sure," He shrugged, returning to his drink and avoiding his brother's stare, "Why the hell not."

Bonnie watched Jeremy gaze down at his sister, gently stroking her hair as she slept.

"So are we going to address the real issue here," Stefan crossed his arms, "Or have we all just accepted the fact that Damon has somehow managed to bind himself to Elena."

"Who cares," Jeremy muttered, knowing they'd all hear him regardless, "He saved her and I really don't give a fuck how he managed it."

Damon's eyes widened, his glass stilling before his lips at the solid backing from the younger Gilbert.

"You don't know what you're saying," Stefan narrowed his eyes incredulously, "You think it's right for him to go traipsing about in her mind without her consent?"

"I did no such thing." Damon glared.

"Stop." Bonnie warned, holding up her hand to silence the two brother's before they could continue. "Vampire's have perfect recall," It was more of a statement than a question, "Correct?"

Damon nodded in response but remained silent.

"I'm going to need that spell." She murmured, returning her attention to Jeremy and Caroline hovering over their sleeping doppelganger, somehow at peace despite everything that had gone on in the last few hours.

"It'd be easier if I knew the specifics of the original spell in its entirety," She glanced up at Damon, "Could you write those-"

Wordlessly the elder vampire pulled a folded sheet of paper from his pocket and handed it over, an odd expression passing across her cinnamon features as their fingers brushed.

"What?" He narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"Nothing," She answered all too quickly, pulling a grimoire from her bag and setting it down on her knees, "Thanks."

"Sure." He shrugged discounting her reaction to concern for her friend, before flopping down in the chair opposite as Stefan stood resolutely by the fire with his hands stuffed into his pockets.

Bonnie swallowed thickly, turning her face away from the two vampires as she made a show of perusing her book. She'd seen the tether as they'd touched, its continued strengthening now a constant pressure in the back of her mind with the both of them so close together.

Problem was, from what she'd seen it wasn't just Damon who'd bound himself to her as Stefan had so viciously suggested, his jealousy over their closer-than-most friendship ever apparent_, _but the doppelganger herself had chosen, whether it had been a conscious decision or not, to return the sentiment and wrap herself just as firmly around him as he'd done to her.

They were kidding themselves if they thought there was any way they could break this, spell or not, the decision would come down to the two of them and no amount of interference, magic or otherwise would be able to separate them.

* * *

A/N

_Hey guys thanks for reading, hope you've enjoyed the first chapter!_

_This is my first fic for TVD, everything you recognize belongs to LJ Smith and the CW except for the plot, that's all mine!_

_Updates will be weekly so I hope you'll all stick around and see what I have in store for our hero's!_

_Reviews = Love!_

_L_


	2. Chapter 2

_A big thank you to all my lovely reviewers and followers, you're the best!_

_Hope you enjoy this next installment :-)_

* * *

_I own nothing...just taking a few characters for a spin._

* * *

**Chapter 2**

The parlor was still dark when Elena awoke, annoyed beyond reason she'd once again opened her eyes to the same ceiling for the second time that night and made a mental note to actually make it to a bed, if only to avoid the current crick in her neck.

She glanced down at the weight on her shoulder, Jeremy's hair sticking up at odd angles as he slept against the sofa beside her, a small snore from down by her feet identifying Caroline wrapped firmly around her legs with Bonnie sat on the coffee table with her nose in a book and Stefan beyond her, leaning as still as a statue by the mantle as he gazed at the fire.

Her eyes sharpened in the darkness, finally landing on the vampire sat across from her, his dark hair tousled from running his hands through it and a troubled expression on his handsome face. She could feel his uncertainty just beyond the steady, comforting warmth that radiated from the tiny sliver of cord that bound them together.

_Damon?_

"Fuck," He cursed, his Scotch bottle protesting loudly against the floor, the glass slipping from his fingers as he clutched at his head. "God damn it."

Stefan turned as Caroline shot unsteadily to her feet, stumbling over Jeremy's legs in the process.

"Alright, I'm awake." She gushed as the younger Gilbert sat up, eyes blurry with sleep as he rubbed his shin.

"What did I miss?" Jeremy's gaze shot instantly to his sister, "Elena?"

"Relax," Damon muttered, "She's fine. Everything's just peachy."

"I didn't mean to-" Elena grimaced, her eyes wide as she watched him rub his temples with a pained expression.

"Like I said, it's fine." He offered a tight smile in response. "Just in future if you're gonna insist on telepathy, I'd be much appreciated if you could use your inside voice."

She nodded in acknowledgement, gazing at him in a mixture of awe and concern as their circumstances seemed to be becoming more bizarre by the minute.

"You're telling me." He lifted his gaze with a chuckle as he pulled his bottle from the floor.

"How did you do that?" She tilted her head as she watched him in fascination, "I can't hear anything from you, it's all just this- feeling I guess? Colors?"

The corner of his lip turned up in a smirk as he made to reply but Stefan spoke up instead.

"You're bound to Damon." He slipped his hands into his pockets, his face serious as he imparted the information.

"Excellent grasp of the obvious baby bro," Damon retorted, irritation rolling off him in waves that made Elena equally affronted at the interruption, "Pray tell, what was it that gave it away?"

Stefan glared in response, "At least one of us is taking this seriously."

"What? You think I'm not?" He objected incredulously, "Besides, you're the one getting all broody and jealous-"

"Can you blame me," Stefan hissed. "A bond is an intimate thing to share Damon, especially with someone who doesn't belong to you-"

"I never said she did," Damon shot back with a smirk, "But if you keep this shit up she'll be a damn sight closer to it than you realize-"

"Enough!" Elena interrupted, narrowing her eyes as Stefan opened his mouth to reply, "She is right here and I don't want to hear another word about it."

Stefan opened his mouth but she quickly shut him down, "From either of you!"

Stefan seethed but remained silent as Elena glanced angrily between the two brothers, the tension palpable as Caroline stood with a dramatic huff, "You know sometimes the world would be a much nicer place if everyone just took a chill pill."

"Even better if they choked on it." Damon muttered darkly.

With a shake of her head Caroline flashed from the room and returned with a blood bag in hand and a bottle in the other.

"Here," She tossed the blood in Damon's lap and filled his abandoned glass, "You're in a foul mood already, let's not make this any worse than it has to be."

"He started it," He muttered narrowing his eyes, "And you're being nice to me."

She rolled her eyes in response as she took a seat beside him.

"It's weird," He whispered suspiciously. "I don't like it."

"Oh please," She dismissed with a wave of her perfectly manicure hand, "When have I ever given you a reason to question me despite the way you treated me in the past."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He gaped indignantly.

"You're my Sire, Damon," She mocked, tossing his words back in his face as she flicked her blonde hair primly over her shoulder, "Get used it."

Elena snickered, covering it with a cough as she sat up, ignoring his pointed glare before he turned it back on Caroline.

"More like now I'm somewhat indefinitely attached to your BFF's brain you're paranoid I'll do something stupid." He retorted in the same patronizing tone.

"Well if the boot fits-" She muttered crossing her legs as she folded her arms across her chest.

"I'm older and stronger than you Barbie," Damon scoffed as he tossed back his drink, "I don't need some ill-conceived progeny suddenly getting all clingy and shit-"

"Urgh, as if!" Caroline gaped, looking to Elena expectantly.

"Don't look at me," The doppelganger shook her head, "You walked right into that."

"Well someone should put him back on his leash." She quipped, flinching back into the sofa as he bared his fangs at her with a hiss.

"Damon." Elena narrowed her eyes in warning.

"Something tells me he'd probably like that _way_ too much." Jeremy snorted, shifting into a more comfortable position with his back to the sofa.

"Jeremy!" Elena gaped, the tips of her ears blushing crimson as Caroline hid a giggle behind her hand.

"You know me too well Gilbert." Damon smirked in response.

The younger Salvatore finally stepped forward with a scathing mutter, "We're wasting time," He turned to Bonnie, "Can you reverse it or not?"

"I don't know," She continued flicking through the pages of her book, "I need more information."

"Elijah is telepathic," Stefan raised his arms in defeat, forehead creasing in thought, "Maybe there's something in Isobel's research?"

"Guess I'll call Ric then?" Damon pulled his phone out with a flourish, flicking open the blood bag in his other hand and downing it in one mouthful as he stood.

He glanced down at Elena as he dialed the number, raising a curious brow at the expression on her face. "What?"

"Uh," She shook her head as she glanced away, "Nothing."

"Okay then." He strolled away with a shrug as he put the device to his ear, Elena somewhat grateful he ignored the distinct pink tinge in her cheeks.

"You're being creepy again." Jeremy whispered, earning himself a punch in the arm for his efforts.

"Shut up." She warned, returning her attention to Bonnie and pointedly avoiding Stefan's gaze.

She kept returning to the dark silhouette in the foyer and she wondered, not for the first time this evening, whether it was because he was in her head that she suddenly found him so damned distracting, or if she'd just been too wrapped up in avoiding what he made her feel in general that she'd perhaps mistook irritation for something completely different.

_Hey Gilbert, reign it in. I can't hear the teacher over your internal monologue._

Elena jumped as his voice rumbled through her head, her eyes flickering to the wildly gesturing Salvatore as he spoke, or argued really, with the vampire hunter on the other end of the line.

_God damn it Damon, you scared the shit out of me._

She felt his amusement as he turned and flashed a smirk in her direction.

_You're avoiding Mister-tall-dark-and-tortured. Why?_

_Shit _The man himself stepped into her line of vision and sat down on the table before her, she sighed somehow managing to keep her face expressionless as she replied.

_We broke up. _

"Elena-" Stefan began, attempting to reach out and touch her then suddenly thinking better of it.

_He wants to talk about it, I don't. _

"We need to talk," Her head throbbed painfully at the mention of the impending conversation and she sent out a silent plea willing the elder back to her side. "I think we should-"

Suddenly a body flopped down onto the sofa beside her, unaware she'd shut her eyes until she opened them to the distinctly concerned blue that rolled in her direction.

"Do you mind?" Stefan growled at the intrusion.

"Not really," Damon mused obnoxiously, ignoring his brother as if he hadn't spoken at all as he spoke to Elena, "So Ric's _pretty_ sure there's something relevant in one of Isobel's journals."

"But?" She prompted as he made himself comfortable, sighing in mock-irritation as she came to rest against his side, the cushions below them bowing with their combined weight.

"But," He drawled, enjoying Stefan's silent fuming at their proximity, "He can't be, you know, a _hundred_ percent certain since it is the middle of the night and he was asleep and all-"

"Most people are at this time of morning." She quipped, her appreciation tingling into goose bumps up his arms as it swirled around his head.

_Thanks._

"Most people aren't us," He rolled his eyes extravagantly, "Drama central."

_You call, I come. I'm easy like that._

"Yea," She chuckled wearily as she relaxed a little further into his side when a wave of warmth trickled through her.

"It's getting stronger," Bonnie felt the tether flare and strengthen, "When you touch the bond becomes amplified."

"I felt it too," Caroline murmured looking to Stefan who glanced away with a sneer, "At least I think I did."

"Kind of warm and tingly?" Bonnie asked distractedly. "Familiar?"

"Yea," The blonde nodded, "Shouldn't it feel, I don't know, wrong or something?"

"Can't help but notice you're talking like we're not here," Damon drawled, eyebrow raised as he glanced back and forth between the two.

"And yet again," Stefan added, "Wasting time. We need to stop this, NOW!"

Bonnie scowled, "I'll need to consult the other grimoires, there might be a way to reveal the specifics of the spell but I'm not a hundred percent sure-"

"Great," Stefan clapped his hands encouragingly, "Let's go."

"I'll come with you," Jeremy volunteered, pulling himself from the floor, "We can drop into Ric's on the way."

"Good call Baby Gilbert," Damon clapped him on the arm as he stood and made his way over to the bar, "And in the meantime, Caroline can babysit Elena while I get reacquainted with Mister Johnny Walker."

"No," Stefan crossed his arms, "I think it's safer if I take Elena home-"

"What?" She gaped, "No!"

"Safer for her?" Damon narrowed his gaze in warning, "Or for you?"

"I'm staying." The doppelganger objected, "Besides, I don't think it's wise to split us up, whatever this is- it- I-"

"Spit it out Elena," Stefan snapped, "Not all of us can read minds."

"It hurts," She shot back, seeking out the concerned gaze of Bonnie when she turned in her direction, "If Damon's too far away, it hurts, like my head is going to explode-" She left out the part about her heart feeling like it might too.

"It's still unstable and you're human, I think that's a big part of it," Bonnie nodded in understanding, "You're safer here with Damon."

"Well that's not something you hear every day." The elder mused.

Stefan began to object, "But-"

"It's not safe for any of us really," Bonnie addressed Stefan's rebuttal, "I could use the extra support just in case."

"Caroline will take you." He tossed his keys to the blonde but Bonnie snatched them out of the air.

"Let's be honest Stefan," The witch glared, "You're diet practically ensures you can't even over-power another vampire, even Caroline can run rings around you."

"What's your point?" He seethed.

"You've entrusted Damon with Elena so many times now it isn't funny," She turned towards the door, "Now stop being petty and let's do this already."

"I-" He hesitated for a fraction of a second before he sighed his agreement, "Fine. Whatever."

_Go Bon Bon!_

"Bubye Stefan." Elena turned her gaze to the elder vampire as he waved his brother off with a smirk.

_Real Mature Salvatore._

_Yea, well he's being a real douche about it. At least I had the decency not to voice my lowly opinions of my brother to the rest of the Scooby Gang._

_Like that's ever bothered you before._

He shot her a pointed look as if she should have known better and she cleared her throat, "You don't mind us crashing here for a while do you?"

"Whatever," Damon shrugged, turning his attention to the decanter in his hand, _"_Mi casa_ es _tu_ casa."_

"Yea," Jeremy snorted, "Literally."

"Later, Jer." Damon glared, effectively motivating them all towards the front door.

"I'll see you in a while Lena," Jeremy hugged his sister goodbye, Bonnie offering a reassuring smile over her shoulder as she followed Stefan out.

"Kay." She nodded, watching them go.

"Later, _Dick._" Jeremy called to Damon, smirking as he flicked him the bird over his shoulder as he slipped out the door.

"Wise ass." Damon stilled the bottle in his hand, shaking his head with a chuckle. He hadn't expected to find an ally in the teen, especially considering their history and found himself begrudgingly admitting to actually starting to warm to the kid just the tiniest bit.

Elena snorted, "You're about as surprised as I am."

"Get out of my head." He shot her a warning glance as she moved towards him but there was no bite behind it, just a weary acknowledgement that he could no more get out of hers than she could his.

"I could see it in your face," She admitted quietly, "I might not be able to read your mind like you can mine, but I'd like to think I've learnt a few things over the last few months."

"Like what?" He narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"Your eyes give you away, Damon," She offered a lop-sided smile at his suddenly wary expression. "Anyway," She breathed, scuffing her shoe along the floor, "Thank you."

"Especially for not sending me away despite all the problems I've caused for you-"

"Stop," He murmured, meeting her gaze when she lifted her eyes from the floor, "You don't owe me anything, not a thank you or an apology."

Elena nodded, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear as he moved to seat himself by the fire and she shuffled over to Caroline. "Thanks for staying Care."

"No probs." She beamed, taking her friends hand.

"Alright now, before you disappear, first things first," Damon shot a pointed look at the two girls as he propped his feet up on the coffee table. "This house may very well have your name on the deed but ultimately it is mine, therefore, my house, my rules."

"Okay." The two girls agreed, Caroline rolling her eyes and crossing her arms as he continued.

"Excellent," He took a large mouthful of Scotch, "Now, firstly it would be greatly appreciated if you could keep your squealing to a minimum during your stay," He shot Caroline a pointed glare, "Obviously as a vampire, I don't want to hear you fan-girling from across the house."

The blonde scoffed and it was Elena's turn to roll her eyes.

"Breakfast is at whatever the hell time you get in there and make it yourself, no running in the halls, no late night swimming or pillow fights unless I'm invited." He raised a finger in emphasis as he waggled his brow.

"You have a pool?" Elena raised her brow curiously as Caroline gaped. "Dream on."

"The liquor cabinet is most definitely out of bounds, especially to you," He earned himself a glare and a poked tongue from Caroline at that, "Pool's outback FYI and to my knowledge hasn't moved in the last eighty years so I'd suggest perhaps taking a little more notice of your surroundings."

"Shut up." The brunette muttered crossing her arms.

He smirked in response. "Now, aside from my own and Saint Stefan's room's, unless of course you'd prefer the company, you can have your choice of bedrooms, pick one each if you want, I don't care, just don't leave your shit on the floor, it drives me nuts."

"You done yet?" Elena huffed, who'd have guessed a hundred and seventy year old vampire could suffer with such an apparent case of OCD.

"That's enough out of you." He warned but his eyes shone with mirth, an image of a door tucked away towards the back of the house flashing through her mind and she nodded her silent agreement. "There are clean towels in the closet in the hall, laundry goes in the chute obviously-"

"You do laundry?" Caroline scrunched up her face incredulously.

"Who did you think cleans this place Barbie," He deadpanned, turning to Elena, "Pretty sure there's a few of your things hidden in that closet too, might wanna-" He gestured at her blood stained shirt, "You know-"

"Yea," She nodded, fingering the material where it still clung to her skin, "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," He muttered, "Should probably go grab yourself something to eat too Gilbert." He narrowed his eyes, "Don't think I'm not aware of how long it's been since you last ate anything either."

"Yes Dear." She rolled her eyes as she pulled Caroline towards the kitchen, "Come on Care."

"And hands off the O-Neg." He muttered after them knowing she'd hear.

"Ass." The blonde huffed over her shoulder.

"I heard that!"

"Care." Elena warned halfheartedly, laughing at her expression as she flicked on the kitchen light. "He's trying."

"Oh definitely," She agreed with a scoff, "Forgive me if it takes some getting used to."

Elena smirked a little in response, opening the fridge to find a large bowl of pasta with a note in the elder Salvatore's elegant scribble stuck to the side.

**_Eat Me ;-)_**

"Charming," Caroline rolled her eyes as she swiped a bag from the door, "I'll admit though, as much as it's kinda freaking me out, it's not in a bad way- does that make any sense?"

"Yea." Elena snorted as she placed the bowl in the microwave with her blood bag to heat up.

Caroline wondered briefly just when her friend had become so accepting of their situation that she was no longer fazed by it. She had a sneaking suspicion that it might have had everything to do with Damon if her earlier behavior was anything to go by, the way she'd watched him with an expression almost akin to desire as he'd drank.

The implications brought her back to the ever present strain between her and Stefan. Even if they'd thought she was oblivious, she was a vampire, she couldn't help not noticing things anymore.

"So are you going to tell me what happened with Stefan?"

"There's nothing much to tell," Elena shrugged, moving away to search the numerous cabinets for a glass, "We broke up."

"Lena," Caroline stopped her with a hand on her shoulder, "I'm sorry."

"I'm not," She offered quietly with a brief glance over her shoulder before she returned to searching the cupboards, slamming one irritably when she came up empty handed.

"Urgh! Damon," She grit her teeth, "Where's the damn-"

Caroline heard his snort from the other room as he replied. "He said above the sink-"

"Yea," The brunette tapped her temple, pulling two from the shelf, "I saw."

"This is weird," The blonde sighed, "Like beyond weird for us, weird."

Elena shot her an incredulous look, "What? You have Damon in your head-"

"I know." The doppelganger agreed quietly as she retrieved their meals from the microwave and filled two glass with juice.

"And?" Caroline prompted, arms wide as she followed her to the table and sat down.

"And," She mused, whispering the last part over her bowl, "I don't actually mind."

"Huh?"

"Look," Elena groaned, pushing her hair behind her ears, "I know you're all team Stefan and whatever, but what happened between us is over, it's for the best."

"You're using Damon as a shield," The blonde pointed out, flicking open her blood bag and sucking on it like a juice box. "Don't think I hadn't noticed Elena."

"Stefan makes me nervous," She admitted hesitantly, "It's like I can't breathe when I'm around him- and not in a good way-"

"You're afraid of him?" Caroline gaped.

Elena shuddered closing her eyes at the memory of the mangled corpses that paved his Original tour across the country.

"Even Damon in his darkest hour," She replied whisper quiet, "Was nothing, and I mean _nothing _on the Ripper, what he became- what he's capable of if he ever falls off the wagon again."

"It's too much." Elena stirred the pasta round her bowl absently, "I'm eighteen Care, I don't want that kind of responsibility hanging over me."

"I know," The blonde reached out and squeezed her hand gently, "But Damon-"

"He makes me feel safe," She lifted her lip pathetically, "And yes, it helps that Stefan won't talk to me while he's around, because I don't want to talk."

"Why?"

"He thinks we can be fixed," She cringed at the thought, "Still has hope that I'll come around-"

"But?" She drawled.

"Not this time." Elena replied resolutely.

"Do you love him?" Caroline whispered softly.

"A part of me will always love him," She breathed, "But I'm not _in_ love with him, not anymore."

She took a large mouthful of pasta and groaned in surprise at the flavors that hit her tongue and warmed her achingly empty belly.

Caroline laughed, "Good huh?"

"What can I say," She offered a forkful, "He might be an ass but damn it he can cook."

"No shit." Caroline surprisingly had to agree, watching her friend as she finished the last mouthful of food and sat back with a yawn.

"So what about Damon?"

"What about Damon?" Elena muttered quietly.

"Does he know?" She took the brunettes empty dishes and rinsed them before placing them in the dishwasher.

"He knows Stefan and I aren't together anymore," Elena shrugged, standing to push her chair in and follow Caroline upstairs, "Just not the why."

They ambled through the long corridors in companionable silence for a time, finding the elusive hall closet, towels and a change of clothes for Elena before Caroline finally spoke again. "Do you love him too?"

"I- don't know?" She all but whispered in response as they approached the door Elena had been looking for.

"Elena." The blonde warned, a knowing frown creasing her brow.

"Is it that obvious?" She rolled her eyes with a sigh.

"If you squint, yea." The blond offered a lopsided grin as she ushered the doppelganger inside and shut the door behind them. "But to be honest I've been watching you dance around each other for months."

"Yea, yea." Elena scoffed, waving her off as she pulled off her sweater and jeans, dropping them down the laundry chute as she shuffled into the en-suite.

"So what's with the pouty face then?" Caroline teased, sitting down on the closed toilet lid as Elena stood under the steaming faucet and washed away the day's blood, sweat and tears.

"It's nothing," Elena shook her head as she rinsed out her hair, "And nothing is how it's going to stay."

"Seriously?" Caroline crossed her legs and arms with a scoff, "You practically eye-fuck each other anytime you're in the same room."

"Care!" She stuck her head around the shower door to gape.

"What?" She shrugged, "It's true."

"Is not." Elena objected, rinsing herself off as she argued.

"Whatever," The blonde rolled her eyes indulgently, "Just telling it how it is Elena."

"Well it isn't," Caroline held out a towel as she shut the faucet off, "Besides, he has Andie."

"Oh please," The blonde rolled her eyes as the doppelganger stepped out to wrap another towel around her hair, "As if we don't all know she's just adistraction-"

"I saw them in the Grill, Care," She admitted, pulling on a pair of boxer's and a singlet, "They were together, before I was attacked and I saw-"

She paused to swallow back the emotion trying to escape her throat as she rubbed at her hair, "I can assure you she's not just a distraction. Not anymore. Damon doesn't-"

"I find it hard to believe that a man who spent the better part of a century and a half chasing down the woman he loved would so easily give up." She drawled, "Especially not on you Elena."

"I'm not Katherine," Elena shook her head, "Maybe that's the problem?"

"Stop right there," The vampiress held her fingers to the other girl's lips, "Just, stop-"

"Tonight was my fault," Elena whimpered as Caroline guided her towards the bed, "I got jealous and angry and I should have been paying more attention and now Damon's paying for my arrogant stupidity-"

"Ssshh." The blonde soothed as they snuggled into the embrace of the mattress, "Everything will be fine, you'll see. Just sleep now and we'll deal with everything in the morning, Okay?"

Caroline pressed again when she remained silent. "Okay?"

She finally nodded her agreement as she closed her eyes. "Yea."

She gave her a little squeeze, "Night Lena."

"Love you Care." She murmured snuggling further into the pillows.

"Love you too." Caroline held her tightly until she was well and truly asleep, her thoughts turning to the blue eyed vampire that remained on guard downstairs and just how much of their discussion, if any, he'd managed to overhear. She couldn't be sure, but she hoped for both their sakes it was enough to spur him into some sort of action.

He was an idiot as far as she was concerned, traipsing around town with Andie Star when he was so obviously in love with their doppelganger and her with him, even if they were both too dense to notice. She was going to have words with him about this particular subject very shortly, after all Elena wasn't getting any younger and she was going to need her friend to spend eternity with her, obviously.

She cringed at the selfishness of her internal monologue, but she'd be lying if she said she hadn't wished for someone to turn her back when the whole Klaus saga first began, secretly thrilled that she'd had vampire blood in her system at the time until along came John Gilbert being all noble and shit and god damn it she'd been disappointed.

She narrowed her eyes at the Damoneque quality of that thought, a little too much of him rubbing of on her for her liking at times. But the truth of the matter was Elena had never wanted to turn for Stefan, they all knew it and he would never do it willingly no matter how much he claimed to love her, too wrapped up in his own guilt as he was.

But Damon would do anything to keep the girl with him which meant her by extension, the only one with enough balls to risk her being pissed at him for the rest of time over it. She'd be a kick ass vampire one day, they'd make sure of it. They just had to survive this first.

* * *

**_A/N –_**

**_Ah Caroline, gotta love her!_**

**_Well I hope you've enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it lol, much love to my reviewers, your comments keep my muse busy. 3_**

**_Any thoughts, requests, additions – leave it below!_**


	3. Chapter 3

A big, big THANK YOU to my lovely reviewers and followers...you guys are the best!

Again TVD doesn't belong to me (sigh) who knows what would happen if it did lol...

This Chapter will also be the last for the next two weeks, Christmas holidays and all which is why it's so long, I didn't want to leave you hanging any more than necessary...anywho, hope you enjoy this next installment.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Elena awoke with a scream, gasping for breath as her hand clutched at her chest and the rapidly beating organ that threatened to burst from its cage. She flopped back down against the pillows waiting for her breathing to calm as the fiery pulse in her mind eased and Damon's presence returned to the familiar blue haze she'd come to associate him with.

She flung back the covers and cringed at the bright sunlight streaming through the drapes, clutching her throbbing head as her nightmare replaying over in her mind.

It'd been the last Summer the Gilbert's had spent at the Lake House before the accident. Her and Jeremy swimming by the dock as their father flipped burgers on the back porch, Miranda at his side laughing at their antics when suddenly her entire world was engulfed in a torrent of water that swept her parents away leaving her to struggle to keep a hold of Jeremy as she thrashed against the deluge.

Then suddenly he was gone and she was dragged from the inky depths into a fog of crimson that delicately caressed her skin, its touch driving an almost desperate hunger within her and an insatiable need for release that left her wanting and breathless.

Of course it didn't take a genius to realize what had happened and while she was grateful for not having to relive neither her parents nor Jeremy's demise, it was safe to say she was more than a little pissed off at the vampire who was no doubt the cause.

With a growl she pulled on a pair of jeans, conveniently clean and folded at the end of the bed, before storming out the door.

"I'm gonna kill him."

Downstairs in the kitchen Damon raised a single brow, rolling his eyes at the sound of all too familiar footsteps thundering overhead.

"As if my morning hasn't been filled with enough pointless arguments already." He shook his head with a sigh.

"Damon Salvatore!" Elena's voice echoed through the old house as she bellowed at him from the kitchen door, "What the hell have you been doing?!"

"Enjoying the peace and quiet," He drawled not bothering to look up at her, "Or I had been-"

"Where's Stefan?" She narrowed her eyes, the scent of fresh coffee assaulting her senses as she stalked across the room to where he sat, feet propped up on the table with a paper open on his lap.

"Who knows how long that hero hair takes to tame Elena," He quipped, "He could be gone for days for all we know."

"You're not funny Damon."

"I disagree." He smirked, offering up his coffee as he continued reading. "Sleep well?"

"You know perfectly well I didn't." She snapped, snatching it from his fingers with a glare and downing it in one mouthful as if she had every right to.

She stilled at that, a blush suddenly creeping across her cheeks as she glanced down at his empty cup in her hands.

"You're practically filled to the brim with my blood Elena," He mused, paper rustling as he turned the page over. "I wouldn't worry about sharing a little spit-"

"Shut up." She hissed, "And I don't appreciate you - doing whatever it was you were doing - I mean are you trying to drive me completely insane?"

"I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about?" He muttered absently.

"Your early morning snacking is what I'm talking about for one," She cocked a brow in annoyance, "I keep getting caught up in your - whatever the hell that was while you're-"

"I have to _eat_ Elena." He deadpanned, "Besides, it's not like I can control what you're little human brain picks up on."

"I appreciate the concern Damon," She scoffed. "But maybe a little warning next time?"

"I'm a hundred and seventy year old vampire Elena," He glanced over the paper with a raised brow, "I'm not going to suddenly start clearing all my extra-curricular activities with you, unless you're volunteering of course-"

"Great idea Damon," She muttered in irritation, turning towards the disappointingly empty coffee pot on the kitchen counter, "Let's share a little _more_ blood, then I definitely won't be able to tell reality from your little fantasies-"

"You can talk," He scoffed, "Or did you think I somehow enjoy a play by play account of your past exploits with Donovan and Steffy with my morning brew?"

"What?" She turned to gape at him, her cheeks blushing furiously.

"Consider yourself lucky I managed to contain what I did," He added, "And you're welcome by the way. But let's not pretend that you haven't dreamed about me before now."

His smirk was sinful despite the death glare she turned on him. "Of staking you, yea."

"Keep telling yourself that Elena," He drawled returning to his paper, "Whatever you need to sleep at night-"

"Yea, well apparently that's you." She muttered as she pressed buttons on the damned coffee machine in an attempt to make it work.

"So forward," He quipped salaciously, "I like it."

"Grow up," She huffed, undoubtedly more frustrated when the machine refused to give her what she wanted, "Clearly you're in need of some sort of supervision."

"Excuse me?" He chuckled.

"Don't you dare laugh," She glared at his apparent amusement, "You're exhausted, don't deny it - I know better."

"What's your point?" His feet slid to the floor as he stood, tossing his paper on the table as he rounded the kitchen island towards her.

"It makes me feel practically dead on my feet-"

He glared. "You're funny-"

"And your argument with Stefan this morning nearly gave me a fucking heart attack." She shot back.

"Oh please, it was nothing," He waved her off as she returned to the uncooperative machine that refused her caffeinated relief, "Maybe you're just over-reacting-"

"One remark about PMS Damon and I swear to god I will stake you, right here, right now." She warned and he held up his hands in surrender, frowning at the dark rings under her eyes.

"Not a word, I swear." He commented as he sauntered to her side, nudging her out of the way with his shoulder. "You do look pretty awful though."

"Urgh," She groaned, rolling her eyes, "Just make it work, I can't deal with this."

With a chuckle he switched the device on at the wall as she raised a disbelieving brow.

"Is that it?"

"Yup." He grinned smugly.

"Whatever," She deadpanned, "Just make with the coffee already, I'm way behind inhaling the sheer volume of caffeine necessary to deal with you."

"Why?" He took another step closer and her grip tightened on the mug in her fingers. "Do I make you nervous Elena?"

"I see your apparent disregard for personal space is as prevalent as ever." She rolled her eyes despite his proximity making her head spin.

"As is your disdain." He widened his eyes with a wolfish grin.

"Thought I told you not to do that?" She growled as he beat her to the coffee pot when it was done and filled her cup.

He feigned ignorance, "Do what?" Rolling his eyes once more for good measure.

"Don't play dumb Damon," She hissed, swallowing almost the entire mug in one mouthful, "It doesn't suit you."

He leaned a hip against the sink beside her. "It's not my fault you woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

Her expression was incredulous.

"Okay," He relented with a roll of his eyes, "Not _entirely_ my fault. Plus if it's any consolation I think I can help."

She shook her head, too tired to play his games. "What?"

"I have some skills," He shrugged noncommittally, "Pretty sure I can manipulate you enough by this point-"

"Damon!" She gaped, the vampire ducking out of the way when she tried to hit him.

"What?" He shrugged, "I'm just saying, no need to get all slappy and shit-"

"No compulsion," She glared, "Don't you dare."

"Relax Elena," He scoffed in annoyance but she couldn't help but notice the tiniest trace of hurt in his eyes as he turned away, "If I'd wanted to compel you I would have ripped that damned necklace off a long time ago."

"I-"

"Anyway, just think about it." He waved her off with a mutter as he pulled out a fresh cup and poured himself another coffee, "We've got company."

"Morning." Stefan's voice sounded from behind them.

"Brother." Damon drawled, crossing one arm over his chest as he turned to lean back against the sink.

He smiled at Elena, "Hey."

"Morning," She muttered into her mug.

"You ok?" He murmured, concern creasing his forehead, "You look a little-"

"Tired," She forced a smile, shifting uncomfortably under his intense scrutiny, "Just tired."

Stefan nodded, his green eyes conveying his concern. "Bonnie thinks she may have found a loophole."

"Oh?" She stilled, her eyes wide, "Already?"

Damon choked at the resounding NO that echoed through him, covering it with a cough but otherwise remaining silent as Stefan shot him curious glance.

"Yea, that's them now," Stefan nodded, thumbing over his shoulder, "I should probably go see if they need any help."

"Sure." Elena nodded, forcing a smile until he'd disappeared down the hall.

"What the hell was that-"

"Nothing," She replied quickly, groaning into her hand before she glanced back up at him, "I know it's only been a few days but I've gotten used to it a little I think- having you there - urgh- you know what I mean -"

"Yea." He agreed, glancing down to finger the stain on his chest in dismay. "Don't see why it had to cost me another shirt though."

Elena handed him a tea towel. "I liked that shirt."

"Oh I know." He smirked, eyes dancing with amusement.

"Stop that," She slapped his arm, "Urgh, this isn't even fair."

"Huh?" He stilled the hand dabbing at his chest to raise a confused brow at her.

"This thing between us, this bond," She narrowed her eyes, "I'm practically an open book to you and all I get is - what - panic attacks and - and - whiplash!"

"I've got near a hundred fifty years on you Kitten," He scoffed, "Don't take it personally."

"Don't call me that." She huffed, turning to the fridge in search of food. "Old man."

"Brat."

"Jerk." She muttered, rummaging through their fridge in hopes another bowl of last night's pasta would appear -

"Bottom shelf behind the milk."

She silently fumed at the grin in his voice, ignoring him entirely as he popped his smug face around the door.

She poked her tongue as he pulled out a blood bag and beat her to the microwave. "No-one likes a show off Damon."

"Mmmhmm." He switched the blood bag for her bowl before moving about the kitchen with a practiced ease and grace Elena couldn't help but envy as she slid up onto the bench beside him to wait, watching him carefully pour the warm crimson liquid into his mug before topping it up with coffee and wiping the bench clean.

She hadn't realized she'd been staring so intently until he clicked his fingers in her face.

"Planet Earth to Elena." He snorted, "I swear sometimes you're such a space cadet."

"Am not." She muttered indignantly as he pulled her bowl from the microwave and handed her a fork and she began shoveling food into her mouth with gusto.

"Are too." He teased, swirling the black liquid in his cup before downing most of it with an absurdly appreciative smack of his lips she couldn't help but scoff at.

"Don't knock it till you try it." He smirked.

Suddenly she'd had just about enough of him one upping her. "Okay then, give it here."

His eyebrows shot up as she set down her food and lifted it from his grasp. "What-?"

She downed the remaining mouthful, carefully swirling it around her tongue before swallowing it and staring back at him with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Bit coppery," She commented almost absently as she set the cup down on the counter, "But not the worst thing I've ever tasted."

Safe to say the look on his face was priceless.

"What?" She muttered when he continued to watch her with an indistinguishable expression on his face.

"Uh, you've got a little something-" He reached out to brush it away.

Hell, it was all he could do not to take her right there on the counter-top. Her dark hair tousled from sleep, tight jeans and singlet clinging to her soft curves in all the right places as blood dripped from the corner of her lips.

"Oh?" She stilled at his touch, "Thanks."

"No problems." He murmured, mentally cursing the blood that raced through his veins to all the wrong places at the sight of her.

They stood staring at each other for the longest time, a small gasp escaping his lips as a vision of the two of them blazing a trail of blood and destruction into eternity consumed him, his demon growling in an obscene pleasure at the thought of it.

"What was that?" She whispered, watching his eyes darken to almost black. "What were you thinking just now?"

"Nothing." He muttered at he turned away.

"Liar." She glared.

"Let it go Elena," Didn't matter anyway, she'd go running back to his brother soon enough. "Just forget it-"

"You're shutting me out," She was angry now, "Damon-"

"Just drop it alright?" He hissed.

"No!" She grabbed at his arm, his movement pulling her off the bench and into him as she stumbled.

She couldn't help but gasp at the electricity that crackled between them, her skin seeming to tingle in every place he touched her. "Damon what-?"

"You need to calm down." He released her, muttering against her ear as he turned away to nod a greeting at Jeremy as he strolled in with Stefan and Alaric. "The bond's reacting to your emotions."

"It's never done that before." She murmured as he steadied her with a hand on her shoulder.

He nodded, "It's getting stronger."

"Elena," Bonnie called from the doorway, a smile lighting her features as she made her way over, "Here you are."

She turned at the sound of her name, "Hey Bon." She let the witch pull her into an embrace, her eyes locked firmly on Damon who groaned as his phone chirped from his pocket.

"What?" He answered irritably, "I'm busy."

Elena frowned as he turned away to speak, everyone they knew was practically here already so who could it be - ah of course-

"Yea sure," Damon shrugged, "Whatever, later."

_Andy_

"What?" His head lifted instantly, his eyes searching hers curiously as he slipped his phone back into his pocket.

"Nothing." She muttered, grateful for Ric's interruption as he slapped Damon across the back.

"Brought you a present buddy." Ric grinned at the elder vampire, holding up a bottle.

"Ric," Damon smiled albeit a little distractedly, "You're a life-saver. Which would of course be more of a compliment if I was _actually_ alive-"

"I'm choosing to ignore your ungrateful tone." He sniffed, filling two glasses and raising his against Damon's as he sat down.

"Ohh that's good," Ric hissed his appreciation at the burn in his throat, his brow furrowing as he took in the silent vampire beside him, "You ok?"

"Who are you?" He scoffed, "My therapist?"

"Just saying man," He shrugged, "You look like shit."

"Thanks _Buddy_." He quipped sarcastically, clapping the vampire hunter firmly on the back.

"Seriously?" Bonnie scoffed as Damon chugged back another full glass in one mouthful, "It's ten in the morning?"

Damon shrugged reaching to refill his glass only to have the bottle snatched from his grasp.

"What the hell Elena?" He spluttered indignantly.

"What have I told you about day drunk Damon," She hissed.

"We agreed it was one of my many devastatingly attractive looks." He retorted, "Now give it back."

"You're making me nauseous-" Her voice dropped to a near whisper

"Well that's not my problem cupcakes." He snapped back.

"It is today." She warned as she handed the bottle to Ric.

Damon growled as he watched her turn away to speak with Jeremy, "Stupid god damn bond crap-"

"That's harsh man," Ric reached over and tossed back his shot with a cackle.

Damon glared, "Just because I like you Saltzman doesn't mean I won't kill you…again."

"Damon!" Elena chastised from across the room as Alaric chuckled.

"Sorry _Mom_." He rolled his eyes, taking a slurp from the bottle when Elena's back was turned.

"You're such an ass." Bonnie scoffed.

"Don't press my buttons Bon Bon," He quipped, "I'm not in the mood."

"Don't make me explode your head _Damon_." She sneered in response.

"And run the risk of taking your bestie out along with me," He smirked, "I don't think so."

"Alright that's enough," Ric nodded at the grimoires spread out on the bench, "So you've found something to put an end to this bindy – spell - thingy -"

Damon snickered. "Lightweight."

"Up yours." The teacher glared, tossing back another shot.

"Honestly?" Bonnie sighed wearily.

"Apparently that's how this works now, yea." Damon scoffed, narrowing his gaze when the witch's dark eyes darted uncertainly between himself and Stefan.

"Spill Sabrina."

"No." She sighed with a shake of her head, "Not really."

"What?!" Stefan hissed rounding the table as he overheard her admission.

"Urgh," Damon groaned as the volume offended his ears as much as the expression on his brother's face pissed him off.

"You said you could fix this!" Stefan sneered, glancing over at Elena and Jeremy in hopes she hadn't been listening in.

"Don't you dare raise your voice at me," Bonnie narrowed her eyes, not at all appreciating the outburst, "I said I could try to reveal the spell but I never said that if I did there'd be any way to break it."

"So that's it then?" Stefan's face contorted in anger, "You're just going to give up?"

"I said nothing of the sort." She shot back, crossing her arms with a raised brow.

"You can't leave her like this," He hissed, "Damon will destroy her like he destroys everything else-"

"Hey." The elder vampire objected.

"You're making this personal." The witch warned.

"You're damn right I am," He countered, his voice low as he glared, "My girlfriend's sharing her mind with my brother, which you do realize for a vampire is about the equivalent of marriage, a bond which I'll remind you is getting stronger by the second and you expect me to be fine with it."

"What's going on?" Elena turned at his raised voice.

"Oh Steffy boy," Damon tutted as the rest of the room went silent, "Now's definitely the time to shut your-"

"No you shut the hell up Damon." Stefan shot back at his brother who rather than baiting him any further raised his hands in surrender.

"Whatever bro," He shook his head, "It's your aneurysm."

"I don't care- " Stefan groaned as the witch worked her magic, bracing himself on the table as she glared daggers at him.

"What's done is done, there's no point blaming anyone," Bonnie warned, "And for the record your _ex_-girlfriend, just in case you'd forgotten," She added, "As in Elena, the girl you're making decisions for without actually acknowledging being in the room."

She released him from her spell with a pained groan, "I don't see this ending well for you Stefan."

"Elena doesn't know what she wants." He objected, righting himself as his head cleared.

"Excuse me?" Elena gaped, her expression livid as she stepped forward, cocking her hip against Damon's chair and crossing her arms as she stared him down.

"Oh boy." Ric deadpanned.

"Yup." Damon agreed, pouring them both another drink.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Elena gaped incredulously.

Stefan rolled his eyes, "I'm trying to protect you-"

"I don't need your protection Stefan," She glared.

"This isn't really you." He replied, the condescension in his tone rubbing her the wrong way as he dug himself deeper, "He's got you so consumed in this little infatuation you just don't see it."

"What?" She seethed, fire shooting up her neck, her face enflamed in an angry blush.

"Stefan." Damon sing-songed a warning, her ire flaring dangerously in the back of his mind.

"How dare you say that to me?" She hissed.

"It's true." He argued back, "I can prove it-"

"The only thing you're succeeding at proving is how little you truly know me," She shook her head in disgust, "Congratulations."

"Elena please-" Stefan grasped her arm.

"Let. Go. Of. Me. Now."

Damon growled when he refused to comply, the sound of his glass slamming down onto the tabletop making the doppelganger jump as he rose to his feet behind her. "Now Stefan."

His brother's voice welcomed no objections and he reluctantly released her and took a step back. "Fine."

"Good," Elena seethed, "Now it's my turn to talk, and you're damn well gonna listen."

"This is ridiculous-" Stefan rolled his eyes yet again.

"I said I'm talking now!" She embraced the flare of pride that thrummed through the tether.

"Damon is my friend-"

"Yea, sure." The younger man snorted unbelievably. "Keep telling yourself that."

"What the hell is your problem?" Elena fumed, re-crossing her arms with a glare.

"You love him!" Stefan gaped, his face contorting in equal parts anger and hurt, "Or you think you do, just admit it!"

"Of course I do you idiot!" She shouted incredulously, "Why else would I keep trying to save him!"

"It's not like that and you know it." Stefan shot back. "He's trying to steal you from me and what's worse is you're letting him!"

"Now who's being ridiculous," She scoffed, "Damon's not trying to do anything, to you or to me Stefan!"

"Hah!" He spat unbelievably. "That's a lie, Elena. You want him, we all know it, hell even he must realize it by now."

"You can think what you want, Stefan," Her eyes blazed as she tore him to pieces, "But regardless of what might or might not be going on between the two of us, I'm damned you're your brother deserves a hell of a lot better than this from you."

"Don't talk to me about what my brother deserves Elena," Stefan's eyes were suddenly wide in confusion, "I've known him a damn sight longer than you."

"Then you're an even bigger hypocrite than I thought." She seethed, "I bet you've never even acknowledged the lengths he's gone too covering for you?" She shook her head, "Too wrapped up in denial over what you are and far too consumed by jealousy, especially now, to even register for a second everything he's done for you, to protect you-"

"This is bullshit." Stefan spat.

"How many years did you let him take the blame for you Stefan?"

He scoffed incredulously, "Excuse me?"

"How many times did he turn up over the last hundred and fifty years, when you were out of your mind and clean up after you and tell you everything would be okay?" She accused, a fiery righteousness burning through her, "How many times Stefan? How many decades?!"

"Elena." Damon warned, reaching down to gently take her hand but she was too far gone by this point, rage consuming her as she tore his reality to shreds.

"How many times did you let him play the monster so you could feel better about yourself?" She growled, "How many times did you listen to him scream out in the night only to betray him in the end – your own brother -"

"What?" Stefan gasped.

"Enough." Damon hissed into her ear, "Those aren't yours," He whispered, "Give them back."

She stilled, grounded by his proximity and the firm hold he took on her mind as he locked away the memories and she closed her eyes, separating herself from the past, the heartbreaking images of the man beside her willingly taking the blame and incurring their father's wrath over and over again blurring her vision with tears.

"Why can't you see?" She murmured softly, finally opening her eyes and leaning heavily into the vampire beside her as the younger brother's brow furrowed in confusion.

"I don't understand?" He shook his head.

"He's not trying to steal me Stefan," She sighed in exhaustion, "He's holding me together so I don't fall apart."

Both brothers were silent. "Even before you left," She added quietly.

Caroline suddenly appeared at her side, awakened by the sound of shouting she wrapped herself around her friend protectively just as Damon flanked her other side.

"It's not worth it," The doppelganger pleaded, "Katherine. Me." She sighed, "_Nothing_ is worth destroying the relationship you'd managed to salvage after a hundred and fifty years of misery."

Nobody dared move or speak for the longest time, Stefan seeming to consider her words before he opened his mouth again. He sounded defeated and in fact he had been.

"We were meant to be together forever," He whispered, "What we have-"

"Is gone," She leveled her gaze, "And it's time you accepted that."

His brow furrowed as he opened his mouth to reply only to crumple to the floor at Damon's feet as he flashed behind him.

"Damon," Elena glared. "Was that entirely necessary?"

"I'd heard enough." He tossed the empty syringe onto the counter as he hauled his brother over his shoulder, "Consider this a less extreme version of the attitude adjustment he's so sorely in need of-" He paused as he strode past, "Unless you'd prefer I stake him?"

"No, of course not!" She shot back.

He started for the door. "Didn't think so."

"You didn't have to Vervain him, he was starting to come around-"

"I know my brother Elena," He muttered over his shoulder, "He was anything but."

"Oh." She murmured, her shoulders slumping as she watched his retreating back until it disappeared entirely.

"Well," Ric mused, "That was awkward.

"You're telling me," Elena snorted, flopping down into Damon's empty seat as Caroline settled in across the table.

"You okay Sweetie?"

"Yea," She nodded absently, "Sorry we woke you."

"It's fine," She smiled, reaching out to take her hand before pausing with an odd expression on her face. "Oh no-"

"Oh what now?" Elena sighed, turning a glance over her shoulder.

"Pardon me, is this a bad time?"

"Elijah?" She gaped.

"Guess I'll put the coffee on." Caroline muttered slipping away from the table as Damon reappeared.

"Just tea for me." The Original seemed amused to say the very least as he approached the table with his hands in his pockets.

"Oh no," Damon groaned as he caught sight of him, "You've got to be fucking kidding me!"

"And a very good morning to you too." He quipped, eyes darting from the elder Salvatore to the doppelganger in fascination.

"My my, my," He smirked, "What do we have here?"

Damon growled as the elder vampire took another step forward, his fangs unsheathing involuntarily.

"No," Elena shook her head, reaching for him with wide eyes.

_Elijah could kill you just as easily as he could snap his fingers Damon don't, please._

Damon merely growled in response, his bloodshot eyes narrowing.

"Rest assured," The elder vampire removed himself to the opposite side of the table, "I wish neither you nor her any harm."

"We've got enough problems right now if you don't mind," Damon snapped, retracting his canine's as he loomed over the other vampire, "Unfortunately for you, we're all outta time to play games with Originals."

"Agreed," Elijah ignored the barely concealed threat and took a seat at the table, "However, I do believe I can be of some assistance."

"I'm sure we have no idea what you're talking about." Elena shifted over as Damon slid onto the chair beside her, effectively sandwiching her between himself and Alaric as he flung his arm casually yet purposefully around the back of the chair.

"Fascinating." Elijah remarked.

"Hardly." Damon narrowed his eyes, "So, who called you?"

"As you well know, I am indebted to you all," The Original glanced down at his folded hands before returning his gaze to the elder Salvatore, "So rest assured I mean no offense when I say…that is for me to know, and you to, as you say…dot dot dot…."

"Stefan then obviously." Damon offered an unimpressed smirk, resuming his drink as Caroline set a teacup down in front of the Original and slid a mug across the table to Elena before resuming her seat.

"Thank you." The elder vampire sipped carefully at the hot liquid.

"Alright," Damon waved him on impatiently, "What do you want?"

"It has been brought to my attention that certain events of late have brought into being a certain connection between yourself and Miss Gilbert."

"I'm assuming you have information relevant to this situation," Damon addressed the original curtly, "Else your presence here would be both unwanted _and_ unnecessary."

He cocked his head in response. "I have a theory, yes."

"Alright," Damon downed a quick mouthful of Bourbon, keeping his eyes on Elijah. "Enlighten me."

"What do you know of the bond already?" The elder asked, looking first to Damon then Elena.

"A little." He snapped, "Why?"

"To be honest I wasn't even aware something like this was possible let alone stopped to contemplate what it means." Elena mumbled.

"Then let me tell you that it means exactly what the term implies," Elijah replied casually, "Your minds, thoughts, feelings memories, all of it is essentially open to each other through the tether as the ying seeks to balance the yang so to speak."

"Yea, right," Elena scoffed with a roll of her eyes, "Human-Vampire, not really an even keel."

"It is true that blood bonds are more specific to our species," The vampire mused, casting a glance around the table before returning to Damon, "The bond between Sire and progeny is a prime example and whilst it holds the potential for a deeper connection, it is generally as it is in your circumstances, nothing more than mere awareness of each other."

"But Elena isn't sired to anyone," Bonnie interjected, "She's human, how could she be?"

"It is indeed quite possible for human and vampire to create a connection through blood sharing," Elijah continued, "I will admit, however, the effects are only temporary and generally limited to functioning only whilst engaged in coitus-"

"Okay," Ric held up his hands, "We get the picture."

"But that doesn't explain what happened to us," Elena shook her head, "We haven't- I - we-"

"What she means is we don't bump uglies," Damon scoffed, "Blood-sharing on the other hand-"

"It wasn't like that," She hissed elbowing him in the ribs. "Besides, I wasn't going to just let you die!"

"Well neither was I." He shot back.

"May I?" Elijah reached out his hand to the doppelganger, when she frowned in confusion at the gesture he hastened to explain, "The bond, I myself feel its presence just as the progeny and the witch do, but I would like to examine it further, if you wouldn't object of course."

"I have a name." Caroline huffed as she watched Elena glance uncertainly up at Damon.

"Why not," He shrugged, eyeballing the blonde, "Everyone else seems to have had a shot already."

With a nod she took the Original's hand and suddenly the world began to tilt on its axis, grateful when Damon's arm wrapped tighter around her shoulders. "Oh god-"

"Elena?" Damon glared across the table.

"Breathe, Miss Gilbert." Elijah soothed, a small smile playing at his lips as she hissed back a deep breath.

"I just need-" Elijah muttered and suddenly Elena felt something click into place and release, the weight of what she could only assume to be Damon's emotions hitting her head on like a freight train to the point the vampire himself shuddered beside her.

"What the hell did you do?" He spat as confusion, anger, sadness and a torrent of painful loneliness washed through them both followed by a rush of something warm and all encompassing.

"It's a little overwhelming," She admitted, suddenly clutching at Damon's arm as it rest against the table, "I think I'm gonna be sick."

"Just a little more." The Original assured her, "Although I must commend you on your ability to shield your mind at such an early stage, it seems more than sufficient enough to withstand the full impact of your shared connection. Tell me, who taught you this?"

"I did." Damon replied, "I had this friend, he was pretty helpful when it came to things like this."

"Indeed," Elijah agreed, "I must say your association surprises me Mister Salvatore, he was not one to take to our kind lightly."

"Oh he didn't," He quipped, "Took me the better part of fifty years to wear him down."

Elijah chuckled and Elena's fingernails almost drew blood against Damon's skin as the tether fought to pull them further toward each other.

"Easy there Buffy." He gripped at her hand.

"Sorry," She hissed through her teeth, "I can't help it-"

"I know."

"That is sufficient," Elijah gently released her hand, effectively severing the connection between the three of them much to Elena's relief. "Thank you."

Damon held her against his side when she swayed slightly, glancing down at her in concern.

_You okay?_

She lifted her weary gaze as she rest back against his shoulder.

_Exhausted, but he didn't hurt me._

Elijah smiled at the exchange, their telepathy brushing against his mind as he returned to his coffee with gusto and Damon returned his attention to the Original, "So what's the verdict?"

"It is not merely your minds that have been tethered," He replied calmly, hands defaulting to his lap once more, "But rather your very souls themselves are nearing a convergence."

"And I'm already _not_ liking where this is going." Damon scoffed reaching for his glass.

"Are you talking about soul mates?" Ric raised his brow incredulously, finally catching up with the discussion, "Really? Them?"

"An unnecessarily romanticized notion I agree." The Original nodded. "It is a common misconception that the term soul mate applies only to the concept of love but I assure you this is not the case."

"So how is it you're so well versed on the subject," The elder Salvatore narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "Don't get me wrong but you don't strike me as the type to believe in this bull?"

"I've lived a long life," He offered with a small smile, "I was young and naïve once, does it strike you as odd that I'd wish to find another to spend eternity with?"

"Not really," Damon shrugged, not at all liking the brief flash of longing directed at Elena at the comment, "I'd just assumed cleaning up after your charming siblings might've taken up a significant portion of the last _thousand_ years."

"Quite true." He nodded, a slight smirk turning his lip as he inclined his head to examine his hands. The elder Salvatore was perceptive, he'd give him that.

"Various kinds of relationships may constitute a soul bond," The Original steeped his fingers as he spoke, "Siblings, parent-child, romantic attachments, BFF's-"

"Again we're getting away from the problem at hand," Damon drawled, "And while I'm not entirely objecting to the company, I don't think any of us like where this is going so let's cut to the chase shall we?"

Elena felt a wall go up in his mind, "Stop it."

"Stop what?"

"You're shutting me out again," She hissed, turning her face into further into his shoulder as she chastised him, "It hurts."

"You will do her more harm than good by rejecting the connection," Elijah offered. "What's done is done I'm afraid, it cannot be reversed."

"Fucking witches." Damon muttered, managing a brief glance across at Bonnie, "No offence."

"None taken." She replied, returning her attention to the Original as he continued.

"There's no way you yourself, nor the witch in question, could have known the results of her actions would lead to this particular outcome, it is _Old Magic_ that has prompted this binding in such a state as it is."

"And which state might that be?" Damon drawled, not at all amused by his apparent stalling.

"Essentially the tether is there, but from what I can see," He paused glancing between the elder brother and the doppelganger, "It is only a partial joining, the two halves are not yet complete."

"I'm going to assume for now that you're just about to get to the point." Damon replied in irritation.

Elijah rest his elbows on the table, "I'm afraid what you're dealing with here is much more than something as simple as a soul bond."

He turned to the witch who looked away, silently nodding her agreement.

"Bonnie?" Elena narrowed her eyes at the silent communication between the two.

"I believe I confirmed what she had already suspected." Elijah spoke on her behalf.

"Well don't all talk at once." Damon snapped, irritated at being left in the dark.

"What you possess," Elijah leveled his gaze, "Is something exceptionally rare and infinitely more powerful."

"Then tell us what the hell we're dealing with." Damon warned, his ire making Elena flinch. He spared her an apologetic glance before returning his glare to the Original across the table.

"It is referred to as _autem duas flammas_," He supplied, eyes glazing over as if he'd slipped away to another time and place, "It is something I must admit to only having ever experienced once in all my thousand odd years, until now that is."

"So what do we do?" Ric urged, "How do we fix it?"

"As I have said, there is nothing to fix," Elijah replied softly, "The principle of the twin flame is ancient magic, some even claim it to have originated with the dawn of the universe itself. You may have heard reference to the String of Fate or something similar?"

There was a round of nods around the room, "I assure you in this instance, there is no more apt a term."

"So what you're saying-" Jeremy finally joined the conversation, sliding off the kitchen bench to stand by Bonnie, "Is Elena and _Dick_ here are stuck with each other? Like, forever?"

Damon glared. "Hey, watch it squirt-"

"Death himself would not dare to interfere with a bind such as this," The Original nodded solemnly, "It would transcend the gulf between life and death so much so should either's end come, I fear the other would go mad with grief."

Elena swallowed, even more acutely aware of her own mortality in this moment than she'd been when Klaus was draining the life out of her.

"Thy soul, the fixed foot, makes no show, to move, but doth, if the other do." The older vampire murmured wearily.

"That's deep." Ric released a breath and took a long sip of his drink.

"Indeed." Elijah agreed solemnly. "It is said that a re-emergence of these pairings signifies the awakening of a power laid dormant for millennia."

"What type of power are we talking about?" Damon finally spoke.

"No one can say_," _The Original shrugged, "Very little is known of the forces behind what constitutes _old magic._ I believe the witch may be of more assistance than I in that regard."

Elijah's gaze shifted from Bonnie to Elena, "As if being the doppelganger somehow wasn't enough, fate has seemed to have dropped you and your _mate_ right into the very heart of yet another supernatural curiosity." He chuckled humorlessly, "But who can say? Perhaps it is because you are who you are that this has come to be."

"Your _mate_?" Jeremy frowned, glancing warily between Elijah and Damon who looked away to twirl his tumbler in his fingers. "What do you mean, _mate_?

"You'll have to excuse the use of such a vulgar term," Elijah made a face as if the word itself left a foul taste in his mouth, "But we are by definition apex predators so it applies none the less."

Jeremy shuddered at the mental images that invoked. "Eww."

"Jer." Elena gaped, somehow managing not to follow that particular train of thought herself.

"That is why he could not tolerate another male within close proximity." Elijah supplied.

"That explains a few things," Bonnie raised a knowing brow in Damon's direction, "Your brother for one."

"Or maybe he just pisses me off." He quipped, ignoring her any further.

"Your reaction will only get stronger the longer the connection remains unconsummated." Elijah added.

"Excuse me?" Elena gaped, painfully aware of how still Damon had gone beside her.

"Okay then." Ric offered, equally as stunned.

"I don't know what your problem is," Caroline shrugged, "Why else do think Stefan got all defensive this morning, he said it himself, a bond like theirs, for a vampire is essentially a-"

"That's enough." Damon snapped, standing abruptly and heading toward the parlor without a backward glance.

"Damon wait-" Elena called after him but he ignored her plea, dismissing them with a wave over his shoulder.

"Did I say something wrong?" Caroline frowned at his retreating back.

"No," Bonnie shook her head, "He just needs some time I think, right Elena?"

"Yea," She offered an awkward smile as she turned back to the rest of the table, "Maybe."

* * *

Wow, what a mammoth effort lol, well thanks for reading...leave your comments below and have a very Merry Christmas, I'll see you all for an update in the new year!

Always &amp; Forever,

Lisa.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Hey everyone, hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year with family and friends, I've definitely missed you guys so here is the next installment a few days early!_**

* * *

Chapter 4

If Elena had thought she'd been exhausted this morning, then she was now officially completely and utterly _wrecked_. She could barely manage to keep her eyes open as her feet slid across the cool wooden floors of their own accord, meandering through the darkened halls with no particular destination in mind save a thought for the blue eyed vampire that had remained MIA for the better part of the day. She'd been almost ready to give up when a gentle flickering of light beneath the library door caught her eye as she passed.

Ever so silently she slipped inside to discover the very subject of her internal musings nursing a drink by the fire, sagging in relief at the sight of him, her shoulder lent wearily against a book case as she tried to discern his mood. His shoulders were tense and a deep frown creased his handsome brow.

"Careful Damon." Her voice barely registered to her own ears above the steady crackle of the fire, "Channeling your inner Stefan might give you wrinkles."

He turned at the sound of her voice, lip quirking in the hint of a smirk. "Maybe, but my hair is way better."

"Now there's the Damon I know," She pushed away from the shelf, shuffling down the steps toward the couch, "Thought maybe I'd lost you for a while there."

"Still here," His gaze returned to the fire, his usual cocky façade firmly in place, "Still gorgeous."

"Mind those tickets," She snorted, flopping down onto the soft leather, "There's a draft."

He tossed a throw from the back of the closest recliner into her face in response.

"Touché."

With an amused grin he poured out two glasses of Bourbon before taking a seat by her feet.

"Here."

"Thanks." She sipped at the amber liquid, welcoming the familiar burn with a sigh as she stretched out and deposited her legs in his lap, earning herself a raised brow.

"Comfortable?"

"Mmhmm." She murmured from behind her glass, smirking at the indulgent roll of his eyes until the sound of shuffling and groaning from behind them made her still.

"Relax," He soothed, absently running his thumb across her ankle, "It's Caroline."

"Hey," The blonde mumbled a greeting as she dropped down into an armchair, "I'm beat."

Wordlessly Damon flipped another glass and set it down in front of her.

"You're in a better mood," She quipped, resting her elbows on her knees as she took a tentative sip.

"And you're _still_ annoying," He drawled unimpressed, "How's Stefan?"

"Still out cold."

"God Damon," Elena chastised weakly, "How much Vervain did you give him?"

"He'll be fine by morning," He offered unrepentant, returning his attention to an exhausted Caroline with a nod towards the kitchen, "Dinners on me, go help yourself."

"Thanks," She smiled gratefully, setting her empty glass down and standing to leave, "Think I might go usurp Stefan's hot water in his absence first though."

Damon's lip quirked but otherwise made no other comment as the blonde pressed a kiss to Elena's hair and disappeared into the hall with a wave. "Goodnight."

"Night, Care." The brunette called, a lazy smile on her face as she continued to gaze at the warm glowing crackle of the fire, the relative silence between them somehow comforting as they sat together.

Finally though Damon spoke, his clear blue eyes holding an unspoken apology as he chanced a glance across at her.

"I panicked." He admitted bluntly, taking a long draw of Bourbon as he awaited her response.

"It's okay." She'd suspected as much, raising her own glass to her lips with a shrug, "It was a bit much to take in all at once."

"You seem to be taking it well." He gave a snort of derision, "Mind you haven't threatened to stake me again yet so I guess that's a plus."

She shook her head, finally lifting her gaze from the fire. "It wasn't your fault Damon."

"It was a little." He offered with a wry smile.

"Mine too." She admitted with a sigh. "Apparently I have some issues letting things go."

He nodded, watching her intently as his fingers kneaded absently at the sole of her foot.

"Bonnie's pretty sure she has a spell that'll let us roam town free of aneurysm though."

"As comforting as that sounds." He snickered over his glass as he took another sip.

"I know, but at least then you won't be stuck with me attached to your side for the next-" She paused, searching for a definitive measure of time that didn't equate to her forever, "However long – you know what I mean- "

His lip turned up in a knowing smirk. "You're not the worst company in the world Elena."

"I know," She agreed with a sigh, "And I _suppose_ you're not either."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." He scoffed but his eyes danced with mirth.

"Shut up," She chuckled, narrowing her eyes at him suddenly, "But for the record I still think it's unfair."

"This again?" He rolled his eyes with a huff, trying to ignore the very distinct whine in her voice.

"But you _are_ better at it than me."

"You're doing fine," His smile was indulgent as he released her foot, topping their glasses before he propped his own feet upon the coffee table, eyes closing as he rest his head against the back of the sofa, "Besides, a vampire's mind is designed to work faster than a human's, it's not like you can help it."

"Urgh, you're insulting me now?!" She dug her toes into his ribs in retaliation.

"What? It's true!" He laughed, turning his head toward her as he stilled the offending foot, "It's not my fault you're slow."

"Then teach me."

"Huh?" His eyebrows took up residence in his hair as she gazed at him expectantly, a peculiar glint in her dark eyes.

"You told Elijah you had a _friend_ that taught you," She crossed her legs and shuffled closer until her shins met his thigh. "So why not teach me?"

He frowned, "Why would you even want to?"

"Because I do," She rolled her eyes, "Might as well learn to use it properly and considering I'm jeopardy friendly _now_, it would probably be a huge risk not to."

"I suppose." He seemed to consider the request, his eyes defaulting to the flames in the hearth for a time before he replied. "You're serious?"

"Of course I'm serious." She scowled, landing a decent punch to his arm with a huff of indignation.

"Alright, alright," He surrendered finally, holding up his hands to ward her off, "I get it already."

She crossed her arms with a victorious smirk.

"So, what do you wanna know?" He poured himself another drink, "Realizing, as you do, that there are limits to the feats of a human mind."

"You can hear me all the time, right?" She chewed her thumb.

"Most of the time." He nodded cautiously.

"But I can't hear you," She added, "How do you block me out?"

"The shielding in my mind is a little less – pliable you might say - than yours," He swirled the liquor around his glass in his hand as he spoke, "But what you have to understand is for me, or for any vampire for that matter, a bond like this makes the need or want to reach out to you instinctual. I mean I try for the most part to block it out but - sometimes you just project so loudly it's like you're screaming through my skull."

She cringed but nodded in understanding, "So how do I do it? How do I stop – projecting - is it?"

"Well, first of all," He waggled his brow as he shifted to pull something small and shiny from his pocket, holding it up between his fingers so she could see it. "You can start with this."

She raised a speculative brow. "A ring?"

He rolled his eyes, not willing to admit he'd actually spent the better part of the day searching for it and couldn't quite decide what was worse, the fact he'd almost lost it or that she'd just _assumed_ he'd spent the last few hours hiding out and sulking.

"Human's don't _generally_ have the capacity to fend off psychic attacks like I said." He offered casually, "Not even doppelgangers."

"Okay," She watched cautiously as he gently slid the delicate silver band along her middle finger, "So what does it do?"

"It's charmed." He replied, twirling it round so she could see the familiar crest nestled amongst the filigree, noting with great interest the similarities between the daylight ring on his own finger before he pulled away.

"Basically it generates a low level null psionic field, therefore effectively rendering you impervious to _most_ telepathic effects, powers, supernatural abilities etcetera."

She nodded, intrigued. "Another one of Emily's little trinkets?"

"No," He shook his head with a wistful smile, "A Salvatore original."

She ran her fingers over the cool metal, "Really?"

"Mmhmm," He confirmed with a nod, "This one belonged to my mother."

"What?" She lifted her gaze instantly, shaking her head as she made to remove it, "Damon, no - I can't take this – it's - "

"You need it," He stilled her hands, gently wrapping his finger around her small fist, "The spell will help keep all those pesky little human thoughts in alright?"

Her eyes were wide, uncertain. "But-"

"No buts," His tone spoke of finality, "I want you to have it, so just trust me on this, please?"

"I do," She replied softy, "You know I do."

"Then let her help keep you safe." His eyes begged her not to question it any further.

"Kay," She murmured after a time, there was something he wasn't telling her she was sure but relented for the time being, "I promise I'll take good care of it."

He squeezed her hand gently in response before he released her to pour himself another drink.

"It won't work against everything mind," He added as an afterthought, "It'd be no match for Elijah, not to mention if I really wanted to get in your head it wouldn't stop me either."

"Yea, well," She rolled her eyes, he always got into her head, "Nothing new there."

"Don't worry," He chuckled, "I'll make sure to keep it to myself, or most of it anyway."

"What about the mind-talky stuff?"

"It shouldn't interfere with that sort of telepathy," He replied thoughtfully, "Mainly because it'd be a conscious decision, but I'm guessing here Elena, really."

"Thank you." She replied seriously, clutching at his arm.

He frowned as if confused by the remark. "What for?"

"For this," She glanced down at her hand, "For - everything."

There really was no other explanation necessary. The mere fact she was alive was acknowledgement enough of everything he'd ever done for her and more.

"You're welcome." He nodded, topping up her glass up as he raised his own toward her.

"To not letting this get the better of us."

She smiled, clinking their glasses and shifting her legs out from under her to lean against his side. The two of them staring into the fire as they sipped their Bourbon in quiet reflection.

"What did she look like?" Elena asked suddenly, lifting her head from his shoulder.

"Who?" He raised a brow in her direction as he watched her twirl the ring on her finger.

"Your Mom."

"Oh," His eyes went wide for moment before he turned back to the fire, "Stefan has pictures somewhere-"

"That's not what I meant," She sighed, trying to catch a glimpse of his face, "Show me?"

"You've got a bad habit of digging up painful memories Elena." He warned but there was no bite behind it, just simple resignation.

"It's one thing to talk about her," He downed the rest of his glass, "But a memory from nearly two centuries ago is another thing entirely."

"Take one of mine in exchange," She clutched his hand tighter. "One painful memory for another?"

"Why?" He shook his head, wondering if she well and truly knew what she was asking for.

"Stefan was only ten when she died, right?" She reached out to wrap her small fingers around his as they rest on his knee, "He doesn't remember her, not like you do, And I know its painful Damon, trust me I do-"

"Then why ask?" His irritation and exhaustion limiting his tolerance and she knew she was but a hairsbreadth away from pushing him too far.

"Guess I want to know who to thank for saving me." She shrugged, seemingly indifferent.

"Oh really?" He scoffed.

"Yes really," She sighed dramatically, "Especially when you become an unbearable, over-emotional hundred and seventy year old vampire pain in my ass."

His head whipped around at that, the bark of laughter suddenly erupting from him effectively obliterating the somber mood and he wondered briefly how he'd ever managed the last two hundred years without her. His smile was genuine when he spoke, lacing their fingers properly as he glanced down at her.

"Well I guess when you put it that way." He drawled.

"Sometimes you're just too easy to sway Salvatore." She quipped, not so secretly over-joyed she'd made the right call.

"I think you'll find that's all you Gilbert." He disagreed, suddenly pulling her to her feet and snickering at her squeak of surprise.

"Damon, what-"

"You're exhausted." He offered by means of explanation as he pulled her towards the hall.

"But you said-"

"And I will," He stopped at the bottom of the staircase, gently taking her by the shoulders and bending slightly as he spoke so they were eye to eye, "But first you're going to go upstairs and get naked."

"Huh?" She gaped dumbfounded at his almost grave expression. Sometimes it really was just too much fun pressing her buttons.

"Go take a bath, Elena," He relented with a smirk, "You'll feel better afterwards, trust me. An hour in that puppy you'll be all pruned and gross and then-" He raised a finger to silence her as she cocked an eyebrow at the remark. "-then we can work on destroying each other a little more on the inside by dragging up a few more or less repressed memories."

"Wow you're really selling it." She drawled, watching him start up the stairs at a human pace.

"You asked for it." He shot back with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Yea." She nodded reluctantly, trudging up the steps after him, "I did."

"On the upside there's a hidden bonus."

"And what's that then?" She raised a brow suspiciously.

"If you're _exceptionally_ lucky," He shot her a wink, "I'll consider letting you share my bed?"

"To be honest I wasn't exactly giving you the option of _allowing_ it Damon." She commented wryly. "If you recalled this morning-"

"True," He agreed, continuing up the hall, "But would it kill you to make it seem like it every once and a while?"

"Think I might be able to manage that." She considered it with a small smile, "Maybe one day."

He scoffed at that, "You know I don't just share my stuff with anyone."

"I know."

"Good," He grinned at her, "So here's the condition."

"Condition?" She huffed.

"What?" He shrugged, "Snoring offends my delicate hearing-"

"I don't snore, Damon." She objected almost immediately, "You're being ridiculous."

"I've heard otherwise." He offered over his shoulder.

"My god you can be such an ass." She pushed him into the wall, rolling her eyes as he sauntered off along the landing with an amused chuckle.

"You love my ass Elena." He teased, smirking when her eyes defaulted to said _asset_ against her wishes.

"Whatever, _Damon._" She waved him off, turning on her heels toward his room.

"The sooner you admit it the better you know?" He called at her retreating form.

With an extra sway in her hips she ignored the remark as she strode away, trying for the life of her not to smile at the raucous laughter that followed her along the hall.

* * *

An hour later she had to begrudgingly admit his bathtub was glorious, and once she'd managed to eject the mental images of the no doubt absurdly high number of women, including Andie, he'd probably had in here with him over the years she'd managed to relax. The delicate embrace of bubbles soothing her frazzled mind while the steaming hot water helped turn her body into absolute mush.

With a sigh of regret she emptied the monster tub, well and truly pruned up by this point and after cleaning her clothes and towels from the floor and dumping them down the chute as instructed, she raided the elder Salvatore's closet for something to wear.

One three hundred dollar designer shirt, courtesy of John Varvatos, and a pair of ridiculously expensive Calvin Klein boxers later – _thank you very much Damon Salvatore you ass hat_ – she deposited herself in the middle of his obnoxiously large bed with her legs crossed and a pillow in her lap as she pondered her often challenging relationship with the aforementioned Salvatore, attempting and failing to pinpoint the exact moment when she'd become so very dependent on his presence that his physical absence had begun to cause a wary ache in her chest despite the bond.

"Cute Pj's." He teased suddenly appearing in the door way. A smirk stretching across his handsome features when she jumped in surprise.

"Stop doing that." She glared, pulling back the quilt and tucking herself into the soft embrace of the mattress with a groan of appreciation.

"And it's not my fault there's been too much drama for me to bother with laundry." She sniffed, ignoring the fact for the time being that he'd actually been doing it for her.

He wasn't going to bring it up either apparently, "Hey, I'm not complaining," He quipped, pushing away from the wall and sauntering towards her.

"Keep it," He widened his eyes in approval, "I look good on you."

She shook her head in dismay, "If you're not careful there'll be no room left in here for me."

The dig at his ego seeming to amuse him more than anything else. "I'll make room." He smirked, flopping down on the quilt beside her, "Don't you worry about that."

"You know a little modesty wouldn't kill you." She rolled her eyes as she snuggled into the pillows.

"Already dead here Elena," He countered smugly, tucking his arms up under his head, "On the same note however, it also wouldn't kill _you_ to be less of a prude."

"I am _not_ a prude." She objected, rolling to face him.

His hair was damp she noted, clinging to his forehead with the familiar scent of soap, aftershave and Bourbon calming her more in the few moments he'd been lying there than the entire hour she'd spent in the tub.

"You're thinking about me again." He remarked, his lip curling as he turned his head towards her.

"Shut up." She mumbled but didn't deny it. "You seem different tonight?"

"Oh?" He raised a brow curiously, "How so?"

"I don't think I've ever seen you quite so," Her brow furrowed as she searched for the right word, "At ease, maybe? Not in a long time." Maybe not ever she added silently.

"You're content," He offered with a shrug, "A happy you means a happy me I guess."

She considered this as her eyes ran the length of him, his shirt open at the collar and clinging to him like a second skin, his jeans - sans belt - riding low on his hips, the dark fitted denim covering his long legs that crossed at the ankles.

She had to admit she'd been present for almost all states of his undress, but what threw her was seeing his bare feet, his long toes wriggling above the sheets and suddenly an unrestrained giggle bubbled up through her at the sight of them.

He quirked a brow at the outburst. "Foot fetish?"

"As if." She snorted, pushing a pillow into his smug face.

"Hey I was just asking." He feigned innocence as he tossed the offending pillow to the bottom of the bed and rolled onto his stomach.

"Mmhmm, sure you were." She scoffed.

He remained silent, a small smile playing on his lips as he closed his eyes.

"Damon?"

"Hmm?" He raised a brow in acknowledgement.

"Earlier, when you said you could help," She murmured hesitantly, "Did you mean it?"

"Course." He mumbled in response.

"I don't ever remember being this exhausted," She admitted, fingering her necklace, "Do you need me to take this off-"

"I said I wasn't going to compel you Elena," He countered softly, cracking an eye open, "I meant it."

She nodded, her eyes shifting distractedly as her fingers clasped the pillow under her head as if to still them.

"What?" He mumbled curiously.

"Nothing." She shook her head, pulling her hand back towards her chest.

"Didn't look like nothing." He scoffed unconvinced, turning his head towards her when she remained silent. "Well go on then, get it off your chest."

Her eyes flickered to his parted lips and the tip of his perfectly white canine, shifting a little closer as she questioned him. "Does it hurt?"

He frowned, "Gonna have to be a _little_ bit more specific."

"When they come out?" She tapped her own blunt teeth by means of explanation.

"All this time and you've never thought to bring it up with Steffy?" His brows shot up incredulously.

"No, I tried," She objected with a shake of her head, "Once, but he didn't like to talk about it."

He hummed knowingly, "Can't say I'm surprised really."

"Yea." She agreed with a sigh.

"At first it does," He offered with a shrug, "But a century and a half is more than enough time to ah- _acclimate-_ if you will."

She nodded in understanding, "I guess, yea."

"Why do you ask?"

"Because you're both so different," She mused, "At first I thought maybe Stefan was the way he is because of _what _he is, but then there's you-"

"Stefan has no control," He scoffed, rolling his eyes as he propped his head up on his elbow. "He fights his true nature. I've accepted what I am."

"Embraced the monster as such." He smirked devilishly but she didn't buy it.

"You're not a monster."

"Don't be naïve Elena," He replied, suddenly dead serious, "You know better."

"You wouldn't hurt me." She objected.

"You're wrong," He whispered, almost regretting denying it upon her hurt expression but she had to know the truth, "I'd kill for you, if that's what it takes."

She slowly lifted a hand to his face as his lip curled and he let his fangs descend, the veins around his eyes not quite as prominent as his brothers but beautifully intricate and uniquely him.

"That doesn't make you a monster." She traced the side of his face with her finger, "It means you care."

"It makes me infinitely worse," He murmured, sighing at the gentle contact, "Because I don't care who I'd have to go through to keep you safe and that _would_ hurt you."

She met his bloodied eyes with a dark intensity that surprised him, placating the demon inside once again as she paused above the soft swell of his lips as if seeking permission.

He nodded and she slid her finger down the length of his fang, fascinated by its smooth, almost elegant curve and its deathly accurate razor sharp tip.

He was beautiful and terrifying all at once.

But she wasn't afraid of him, atleast not in the sense that prey feared the predator. What scared her the most was the realization that he was _hers_. He'd never admitted it aloud of course but his actions spoke it in volumes. She'd just been too deep in denial to realize it before.

But now? Now things were different and she'd never been more certain that she belonged to him as well.

Belonged _with_ him.

"I trust you." She murmured, lifting her gaze to the startling blue that regarded her softly as he tucked a stray hair gently behind her ear.

"You shouldn't."

"Probably not," She agreed with a weary smile, holding his gaze for the longest time, "But I do."

Elijah was right. A future that didn't include Damon Salvatore was no future at all.

"I will always choose you, Elena."

"I know."

The old clock in the hall outside signaled the bewitching hour, its deep resonant chime echoing through the otherwise silent old house.

"Damon?" She murmured sleepily.

"Hmm?"

"Will you stay?"

A small smile graced his lips as he whispered a reply. "Sure."

He turned for the lamp on the dresser, plunging them into a quiet darkness broken only by the rustle of sheets as he shifted under them.

Laying there beside him, Elena's thoughts suddenly turned to Andy.

A small part of her thought that maybe she'd had it wrong but she couldn't discount what she'd seen happening between _him_ and the news anchor and her heart clenched so painfully in her chest she almost whimpered.

What if he didn't love her anymore? Especially now that she returned the unspoken sentiment, what if he didn't want her? She suddenly found herself unwilling and unable to process that thought fully as she was pulled across the bed until her back collided with the warmth of his chest.

"Damon what are you-"

"You think too loud," He muttered as his arm wrapped firmly around her waist. "Shut it off and go to sleep."

"I can't," She objected despite her body betraying her as it settled against him, her head pillowed on his arm as he curled himself around her, "There's too much going on, my head feels like it's packed with cotton."

"Relax, Elena." He commanded gently, his hand sliding up to rest against her sternum.

She tried to hold back a gasp at the intimate contact, his touch burning her skin as he slowed her breathing to match the rise and fall of his chest, reaching out to her mind as he did and quieting the parts that refused her desire to sleep.

"It tickles." She mumbled suddenly, a surprised smile breaking out across her face as a pleasant warmth spread out through her body. His presence trickling about her over stimulated synapses causing her eyelid to grow heavy as she surrendered to his will.

"So unfair." She mumbled.

His chuckle rumbled pleasantly through her back. "Close your eyes."

"Kay."

She saw him flare in her mind, a mixture of crimson and violet dancing across her eye lids before an image of a young woman swum into focus. Her high cheekbones, piercingly bright blue-green eyes and dark raven hair leaving no doubt as to who it was he was showing her.

"She's beautiful." She sighed as his grip tightened.

"Yes." He agreed softly, "She was."

"Tell me about her?"

"She was kind," He murmured, "Gentle. Compassionate. Full of so much life and light you couldn't help but love her with your whole being."

"I wish I could have met her." She smiled at a memory of her chasing two small boys through the snow, their father watching on with a beaming smile from the porch.

She had seen a small portion of Damon's memories of Giuseppe, but none of those conveyed the fondness she'd seen him express watching his wife and sons frolic and laugh.

Her death must have truly destroyed a part of him that he could never quite get back.

"It did," He murmured, her thoughts permeating his mind the closer to sleep she came, "He was never the same after."

She nodded in understanding as he showed her the image of their tombstones laid side by side in their family crypt, not too far in fact from her own parents.

"You remind me of her in a way you know?" He admitted with a small smile.

"Really?" She whispered.

"Ahuh." He confirmed with a nod of his head.

"What was her name?"

His response was a whispered breath against her shoulder. "Marie."

"Marie." She repeated softly.

Images of her own mother spooled through her mind until she settled on one of her favorites of herself and Jeremy as small children, sitting and watching impatiently one Christmas Eve as Miranda had stood in the kitchen icing a large tray of gingerbread men while Grayson would wait till her back was turned to pass them pieces.

"I met them once you know?" He offered quietly. "Way back in the nineties."

"You were here in the nineties?"

"I've been around since the eighteen nineties Elena," He quipped, earning himself an elbow in the ribs. "Ouch."

"Sook." She muttered wearily.

He chuckled as her breath began to even out despite her fighting it. "Time for all good little doppelgangers to go to sleep now." He teased, not too opposed to the idea himself.

"But I don't wanna." She complained only to snuggle further into his embrace.

"Night Lena." He whispered into her hair.

"Night Damon." She sighed, a small smile on her lips as she succumbed to sleep, dragging him with her as she fell into oblivion.

* * *

By the time Elena's eyes fluttered open the next morning the sun was high in the sky, streaming in through the glass doors and bathing her in its warmth with the spot in the bed beside her noticeably lacking a certain Salvatore.

She found herself disappointed he'd not been there as she ran her fingers down his pillow still crinkled from the night before, suddenly catching sight of a steaming mug of coffee sitting on the night stand beyond beside a pile of clean clothes.

She dragged herself to the edge of the bed, downing the glorious caffeine goodness in a few large mouthfuls before she noticed the small note sitting atop her things.

_So apparently you talk in your sleep too. _

_It's adorable. Just thought you should know. _

– _D _

With a shake of her head she hauled herself from the bed, shuffling towards the bathroom unable to hold back the grin that threatened to split her face.

Half an hour later she practically skipped into the kitchen, her hair wet from the shower and feeling a hundred times better than she had in months to find her blue eyed vampire flipping pancakes on the stove while he sang along with some abhorrent pop tune on the radio.

"Morning Dear." He teased putting a plate down in front of her as she pulled up a chair.

She smirked at the little fangs he'd drawn in whipped cream. "What's all this?"

"I wanted pancakes." He shrugged, a smile she'd never seen before gracing his lips as he turned back to his griddle.

"Okay," She raised a brow in suspicion as a smile tugged at her own lips, "Who are you and what have you done with Damon? You know, about ye high, big, bad vampire extraordinaire-"

"Shut up and eat your fangcakes." He rolled his eyes at her best vampire impression, complete with chomping teeth before he waved her off and filled his mouth with cream straight from the can.

"They're good," She mumbled around her mouthful, grinning as he flipped the next batch with expert skills and stacked another plate just as Caroline came staggering down the stairs.

"What the hell are you doing?" She mumbled, her eyes barely open as she sat down beside Elena and rest her head on the counter-top. "I thought you said breakfast was GYO?"

"He made fangcakes." The doppelganger giggled, turning Caroline's plate so she could see.

"Why?" She asked suspiciously, watching as he set down two coffee mugs in front of her. "Is he sick or something?"

"_He_ is right here," Damon drawled, stirring a healthy dose of blood into both his and Caroline's coffee before he handed it over, "Is it so hard to believe that maybe this is what I might _actually_ be like when we're not balls deep in some bullshit drama?"

"Yes," The blonde narrowed her eyes at him, sipping cautiously at the offering before she replied, "It is _you_ we're talking about here."

"That hurts Care Bear," He gasped in mock offense, holding a hand to his heart as he topped up Elena's mug, "Really it does."

"Oh my god," Caroline gasped, her coffee half way to her lips when she stilled suddenly, "You two finally got it together didn't you?!"

Elena choked, turning to the blonde with wide eyes. "What?!"

"Real smooth Care." Damon drawled around his mouthful, seemingly unfazed by her comment as he lent against the bench.

"You're being nice Damon," She jeered, "Excuse me if I just _assumed_ it was because you finally got laid."

"Are you somehow questioning my ability to do so Caroline," He quipped, "You of all people, really?"

"Can we talk about something else please?" Elena gaped at the two vampires, her eyes wider than saucers when the back door suddenly swung open and Stefan appeared.

"What are we talking about?" Stefan frowned, tossing his keys onto the bench as he poured himself a coffee and leant against the counter beside his brother.

"Just kill me now." Elena groaned and Damon chuckled.

"Nothing of great importance," The elder covered effortlessly, "Caroline was fan-girling at the awesomeness of fangcakes."

"Oh, well," Stefan nodded, lifting one from Damon's plate, "They are pretty good."

"Get your own." The elder warned, pushing his plate further along the bench with a scowl.

Elena narrowed her gaze at the two of them. "You've certainly changed your tune."

"Yea," Caroline agreed warily, "We've missed something here. What's going on?"

"Let's just say that my brother and I have reached an - understanding - of sorts." Stefan offered glancing at the sliver of silver on Elena's finger that glittered in the sunlight.

"Is that some kind of Salvatore code for you beat the undead shit out of each other until someone came out the victor?" She glared, pulling her hand back into her lap when he kept staring at the ring Damon had given her.

"Not quite," Stefan shook his head with a chuckle, sobering as he continued, "But I was wrong to act the way I did, and I'm sorry that I hurt you both."

Caroline exchanged a look with Damon who gave an infinitesimal shake of his head, a clear instruction to not open her mouth.

"Could we talk for a moment?" Stefan gestured towards the hall, "In private-"

Elena glanced warily at Damon who offered her a small encouraging smile before busying himself with stacking the dishwasher.

"Yea, sure." She slid off the stool and followed him uncertainly into the parlor, not at all looking forward to any kind of awkward discussion. "Look, Stefan I-"

"No," He stilled her, "I wanted to apologize properly."

Her eyes went wide. "Oh?"

"What I did to you," He sighed, pulling his ear awkwardly, "It was wrong and I not only embarrassed myself, but you and Damon in front of everyone and I'm sorry Elena, so, _so_, very sorry for that."

She was shocked to say the very least, mulling his admission over in her head before reaching out to Damon.

_You've forgiven him?_

_Eternity is a long time to bear a grudge._

He was right of course.

And really she bared him no ill will.

There was a misunderstanding but it somehow seemed no longer relevant now.

"I accept your apology," She murmured, "And I'm sorry about the Vervain. I had no idea Damon would-"

"It's what I needed," He offered a small smile, "Woke up feeling sorry for myself, which as you can imagine led to a rather significant brooding over the events of the last few weeks-"

She giggled at that and he grinned, "But I'm okay now."

"Good," She nodded, tucking her hair behind her ears, "And you and I?" She asked hesitantly.

"I know," He nodded, his smile turning a little melancholy, "And I know that it isn't just because of Damon-"

"Stefan," She grimaced, "This has never been about Damon."

"But it is, Elena," He reached out to take her hand, "And I want you to know that I understand now, because I love him too."

He smiled knowingly, "You could no more give up on him then I could."

"I'm sorry things turned out the way they did," She bit her lip, "You will always have a special place in my heart Stefan please know that. Always and forever."

He chuckled. "You've been spending too much time with Elijah."

"No, I mean it." She squeezed his hand in response, "I _do_ love you."

"I know." He nodded pulling her into an embrace and pressing a kiss to her head, "And I love you. But we can't dance around this anymore."

"I know you're not _in_ love with me and I'm okay with that." He whispered, "I just want you to know that if you ever need anything, Elena, anything at all," He pulled back so he could look at her, "Just ask and it's yours."

"Thank you." She sniffled.

"You are more than welcome," He smiled, nodding towards the kitchen, "Now go keep my brother in line."

"Yea" She snorted wryly, "Because he listens to anything I say."

"He listens a damn sight more than you think," He raised a brow knowingly, "And he needs you more than I think he realizes."

"Are we talking about the same person here?"

He shrugged, "You make him better, more-"

"Damon?" She offered.

"Yea." He smirked, "More Damon."

"The vampire and the man," She replied softly, "They're both the same person if you dig deep enough."

"If he lets you in deep enough," He nudged her shoulder as they walked back along the hall to the kitchen, "Who knows, one day I might get to meet him."

"He's always been there Stefan," She scolded, "He's your brother, you should know."

"Maybe I'd just forgotten," He mused, "Or maybe it just took you to remind us both."

"And maybe you're giving me way too much credit." She blushed, glancing around the kitchen when they entered only to find Caroline sitting alone at the counter nursing her coffee.

"Where's Damon?" She frowned as she sat down beside the blonde and Stefan disappeared into the depths of the house.

"Blood run." She offered by means of explanation, "Bonnie called to say she'd sorted your bond so you could go home, he took off not long after."

"Oh, good," Elena nodded, only a little offended that he hadn't come to find her before he'd disappeared, "That's good."

"Don't worry so much. He'll come find you when he's done," Caroline smirked, "He always does."

"Yea." She smiled, "He does."

"Need a ride home?"

As much as she loved this old house and the people in it, she really was dying to sleep in her own bed and she missed her brother terribly.

"You know what," She grinned, "I would love one."

"Race you to the car." Caroline quipped, disappearing along the hall at vamp speed.

"Oh my god you cheater!"

* * *

**A/N _\- Well I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, any requests just let me know in the comments. _**

**_Have a brilliant day!_**

**_\- L_**


	5. Chapter 5

**_Sorry for the delays in posting, works been hectic. _**

**_Again TVD isn't mine, things would be a lot different if it were. xo L_**

* * *

Chapter 5

Almost an entire week had passed in relative normalcy and Elena was relieved to have been able to catch up with more mundane things like school and homework and spending her time hanging out with her friends. But she was far from being content with her lot in life, especially when it came to a certain blue eyed vampire who over the last seven days had somehow managed to distance himself from her completely.

It'd started the day she'd returned home from the boarding house, or that night more specifically when the aforementioned Salvatore was noticeably absent during family night festivities, which he always imposed on without fail, but more concerning however was his failure to resume his usual spot on her window seat later that evening….or any other evening after.

All that time she'd spent telling him to get lost when he'd shown up unannounced and now all she wanted him to do was appear, toss about a few lewd remarks and assume his place on her bed with Mr. Teddy while she rolled her eyes and seemed appropriately put out.

It pained her to admit it but she missed their banter, the bickering and flirty eye rolls and innuendos, not to mention that god damned _sexy_ smirk she sometimes wished she could punch right off his perfectly pouty lips. She couldn't even recall the last time she'd threatened to stake him it'd been so long.

She'd thought perhaps the night they'd spent together might have meant something, might have been just the tip of the iceberg of what the two of them could become together if they truly gave it a shot. But now? Now he dodged her calls and ignored her texts and she couldn't help but wonder what it was she'd done to upset him enough that he'd gone and done what he'd promised her so adamantly that he would _never_ do again.

That being said, he hadn't completely left her of course, her tether to him still thrummed away in the back of her mind, but for her to not actually see him, touch him, hell, even hear his _voice_, it was killing her. He had to realize it too, regardless of how much Marie's ring helped shield her mind the bond called to them both, begged them to become whole, even her dreams had become consumed with him, her mind reaching out despite her protests.

But she'd let his avoidance slide, reasoning that regardless of whatever motivations he had he would come to her eventually. The two of them were like moths to a flame, neither could bare to stay away for long, both craving the slow burn of whatever it was that bubbled beneath the surface whenever they were together, or so she'd thought anyway until late one Saturday night.

She and Caroline had ducked into the Grill for some take out after a somewhat grueling study session for finals when she'd rather accidentally caught sight of his leather clad frame across the bar. Determined to chastise him for his recent absence she'd pushed through the throng of people towards him only to suddenly still her approach, Caroline trailing along behind her slamming into the back of her as she gaped at the scene unfolding right before her eyes.

She barely had time to register the fact that he'd seemed so deeply engrossed in Andy that he'd failed to even notice her presence before Caroline had dragged her out of the place and driven her home.

It was shock she realized later that somehow managed to keep back the tidal wave of emotion that threatened to tear her heart from her chest. The blonde tucking them both into her bed and curling herself around her as she broke until she was too exhausted to cry any longer and sleep finally claimed her.

It'd taken her two days before she could be bothered getting out of bed and when she did she donned a brave face and chose not to think about the blue eyed man who'd effectively broken her heart and instead focused her attention on other things. Contemplating her brother's new-found relationship with her best friend was first on the list of course, which she more than approved of obviously, the second was aiding Caroline whenever she called or _bellowed_ as the case may be.

Her latest endeavor turned out to be Mystic Falls Annual Halloween Ball which unfortunately for Elena meant she'd been spending an obscene amount of time at the Boarding House, all the while silently thankful for the cavernous old building and the fact Damon had made himself scarce even in his own home. Whether he knew it or not, she appreciated it. She didn't know what she'd do if forced to look at him let alone talk.

She sat among the Halloween detritus and candelabra Caroline had somehow managed to talk Stefan into extracting from their attic while she shouted instructions over the phone, the vampire truly in her element as she paced the floor of the parlor.

She paused beside the doppelganger to inspect the six enormous, and expertly carved _thank you very much_ Jack 'o' Lanterns lining the Salvatore's extravagantly long dining table.

"These please me greatly my young apprentice," She beamed, "Good job honey."

"Thanks." Elena grinned in response packing away her tools as Stefan trudged up the stairs from the basement with yet another box.

The brunette had a sneaking suspicion her ex and now dear friend had a few issues saying no to the girl.

"Well that's the last of it." He sighed, dusting his hands off on his jeans.

"Brilliant." Caroline turned to Elena with an approving nod.

"Thanks Stefan." Elena offered him a small understanding smile as Caroline turned her attention to the various other _'volunteers'_ she'd brought in to help, barking orders and sending them off this way and that with their expressions caught somewhere between fear and awe at the machine that was Caroline Forbes. Safe to say she wasn't the only one relieved when lunch finally rolled around and Caroline put the finishing touches on the front door, grinning from ear to ear at the sight of the old house.

"It's perfect." She gushed, Stefan nodding from her other side as the three of them inspected the finished article. "Now you keep everyone out until seven, understand?"

"Yes Care." Stefan nodded as the blonde vampire shot off another hundred or so instructions about what to touch and what not to before they headed off toward the Grill.

"Do you think it's safe leaving him unattended?"

Elena shot her friend a long-suffering look as they pulled up in front of the restaurant.

"I know, I know," Caroline rolled her eyes, narrowly avoiding a puddle as she stepped up onto the sidewalk, "I'm being ridiculous."

The brunette smirked fondly, holding the door for her friend. "It's why we love you Care."

"Shut up." She chuckled, waving Matt over as they entered and ambled through the lunchtime crowd to take a booth in the back.

"So," The blonde crossed her legs primly under the table, her chin resting against her palm as she watched the doppelganger settle opposite her, "Have you organized a date for this evening?"

"Seriously?" Elena raised a brow in disbelief, shoving her bag into the bench beside her. "I think it's safe to say I'll be attending alone."

"Come on, Elena," She rolled her eyes, lifting her gaze thankfully as Matt placed two glasses of soda on the table and scribbled down their usual order.

"You know it's been forever," The blonde whispered as she took a sip of her lemonade, "At this rate you'll be a virgin again before you know it."

"Care!" Elena couldn't help but laugh at her friend's relatively serious expression, dipping her fingers into her glass to flick the liquid in her face.

"I'm not even kidding Elena," She narrowed her eyes, "Stefan's moved on, now it's time for you to take matters into your own hands."

The brunette rolled her eyes, chasing the ice cubes around her glass with a straw.

"I'm serious Elena," Caroline warned, "It's time."

"It's not that simple," She huffed in response.

"Ah yea," The blonde objected with a raise of her brow. "It is."

"You know I can't-" The doppelganger stilled, her eyes focusing on something behind Caroline's shoulder.

"Can't what?" The blonde narrowed her eyes at the pause, her vampire senses picking up on a particular leather clad idiot at the bar when she focused.

"Nothing." Elena brushed it off, "Nevermind, it doesn't matter."

"Just ignore him." She advised, raising her voice and knowing he'd hear it regardless, "He's an asshole."

Elena chuckled, shaking her head at her friend's attempt to lighten the mood but otherwise said nothing as Matt appeared with their lunch.

The two ate in silence for a long while until eventually Caroline couldn't stand to watch her friend push her fries around the plate any longer.

"This is really eating away at you isn't it?" The blonde muttered, crossing her arms, "Has he even spoken to you since-"

"Nope." The brunette popped, avoiding the vampire's gaze as she assaulted the stray pickle that had somehow found its way onto her plate.

Caroline nodded, "What about the bond-"

"I can still feel him there," She shrugged her shoulders with a tap to her temple, "But nothing else."

"I see."

"God, I'm pathetic." She growled, cradling her head in her hands before flicking her hair back with an annoyed groan.

"You love him," The blonde shrugged, "It doesn't make you pathetic."

"It feels like a part of me is missing and it's driving me crazy." She returned to her glass, chancing a look over Caroline's shoulder. "But that's enough pity party for one day. He clearly doesn't need me and I don't need him. Simple."

"The hell he doesn't." The blonde argued, narrowing her eyes as she turned to glare, "Jack ass."

"It really doesn't matter anyway Care, he has Andie," She shrugged as her phone buzzed an alarm from the table beside her, "Look I better get going if I'm going to make it on time tonight."

Caroline frowned, reaching out to her, "No wait-"

"I'll be fine Care." She smiled, "I'll see you later."

"If you need anything just give me a call okay?" The blonde called after her, watching the girl exit with a final heartbreaking glance over her shoulder.

Caroline briefly considered storming over and snapping the douche bags neck in front of the entire bar but a quick glance at her watch however meant she wouldn't have time to compel the fifteen odd people present if she did.

So instead she stood and gathered her things from the table and addressed him as she strode towards the door.

"You and me Salvatore. Car park. Now."

She had to admit she was only a little surprised when hardly a minute passed and he appeared, noting the daggers trained in his direction warily and the impatient tapping of her foot against the asphalt with a raise of his eyebrow.

"Barbie?"

"Is there something wrong with you?" She asked seriously, crossing her arms as she stared him down.

"Me?" He gaped in confusion.

"Ah, duh," She confirmed with a roll of her eyes.

"What's going on?" He narrowed his eyes, "Where's Elena?"

"Don't suddenly pretend to care about her well-being when you haven't even bothered to-"

"She's the one avoiding me Blondie," He countered, his tone almost bored, "And right now it's probably for the best."

"So tell me about _Andie?_" She cocked her head, "You're clearly sharing more than a bed, but honestly, one brain cell between the two of you just isn't working."

"Watch your mouth," He hissed, taking a step closer, "There's nothing going on between us that is _any_ of your concern."

"Does Elena know that?" She challenged angrily, "Or more importantly, does Andy know she's just a space holder -"

"Go to hell Caroline!" He shook his head, turning to head for the door and his drink.

"No!" She flashed in front of him, fuming as she poking her manicured finger into his chest until he winced and took a step back, "I left well enough alone before, but now it's come to my attention that you are in fact a complete and utter _dick_."

"You're starting to really piss me off." He snatched at her finger as he glared at her, "Leave me the hell alone."

"You're breaking my best friend's heart you jerk!" She spat back, reefing her hand from his grasp to push him forcefully into the brick wall behind him.

"What?" The impact must have knocked some sense into him she thought, his bewildered expression only making her angrier as she re-crossed her arms and began her tirade.

"While you're fucking around with _Andie_," She began, "Not so discretely I might add, Elena's falling apart."

"Elena's fine," He scoffed, dismissing her with a wave of his hand, "She has Stefan-"

"Are you really that stupid?" She taunted him, "Because out of everyone, I would've expected you to be the first to notice."

"I don't know what the fuck you're talking about Caroline." He hissed, gritting his teeth in the effort it took not to tear her throat out.

"You're destroying her!" She shot back venomously, "You know how she feels, you have an intimate knowledge of all things Elena and yet you just sit back and let her watch the two of you when you damn well know she's there."

"Or is this some sort of revenge for Stefan, did she hurt you so badly all those months she was trying to save both your asses that you're doing this to punish her?!"

"You don't know shit," His hand was around her throat in a second, the now shattered cement wall pressing painfully into her back, "Nothing! You hear me."

"You disappeared!" She argued despite the lethal grip denying her oxygen. "She once told me you'd said you'd always choose her, so what happened?!"

"Catherine happened!" He hissed in her face.

"What?" She gaped, shaking her head in concern, "What do you-"

"She's back Barbie," He released her, throwing his hands up in dismay, "You saw what happened last time-"

The blonde was silent for a time as she mulled over this new information. "So, you're breaking her heart because you're trying to protect her?"

"Maybe?" He laughed humorlessly, "Or myself."

"Typical." The blonde huffed, "So where is she? When did you see her?"

"With Elijah," He slouched against the concrete wall, hands in his pockets, "The night you took Elena home. They seemed pretty cozy too, crept me the fuck out some to think of it."

"So what?" Caroline huffed impatiently, "They're planning something?"

"That's just the thing," He admitted quietly, "They're not…I might have sorta vervained the information out of her…"

"Okay so now I'm definitely confused," The blonde's lip curled in disgust. "Elijah and Katherine? Really? That's just….ewww."

"I know," He agreed adamantly, "Definitely a ten on the weird-shit-o-meter."

"Don't change the subject," She scowled, hand cocked on her hip, "Now tell me the real reason you're avoiding Elena."

"I already told you." He glanced away, suddenly finding the dirt on the toe of his boot of particular interest.

"Oh really," She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "Then why don't I believe it?"

"I should be miles away from this shit-hole town," He lifted his gaze with a sigh, "But instead of sipping margaritas and sorority girls on a beach in the Bahamas I'm stuck in my own personal hell with all of you…all because of this stupid _fucking_ bond."

"That bond is everything to a vampire Damon," She objected, "You should consider yourself lucky to have anything close to it, I've done the research, you have no idea-"

"Lucky?!" He gaped, ""I can't get away from it or _her_ and it hurts Barbie!"

"But she loves you," She shot back, "I thought that was what you wanted? Don't you love her too?"

"Of course I do!" He shot back, his shoulders heaving with the effort of his own restraint. "But no matter what she feels for me, it'll always be Stefan."

"What?" She shook her head in exasperation.

"Stefan apologized-" She heard him murmur, "I heard it all - she told him-"

"That she'd always love him," She nodded, confused at the relevance, "Yea, I was there too. What's your point?"

"What do ya think's the point Caroline!" He seethed.

"I think you're a moron for starters," She shot back, tossing her hair over her shoulder, "Considering you would've heard the rest of it if you'd bothered sticking around long enough."

His face scrunched up in a mixture of anger and confusion. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"She's not _in_ love with Stefan," She retorted smugly, "She's in love with _you_. Dumbass."

And to think he'd once felt the need to destroy this particular progeny, as it turned out she was probably one of the better decisions he'd made no matter how much she had a tendency to piss him off.

"You've got that vacant stare on again," She rolled her eyes at his extended silence, "But quite frankly I've kept quiet about all this longer than humanly possible, especially for me. But now? Now I'm done because your idiocy is killing Elena, Damon and it needs to stop."

His shoulders slumped as her words replayed over in his head. "Elena's in love - with me?"

"Duh," She scoffed, "Obviously."

"Since when?"

The thought suddenly terrified him. The expression must have registered on his face as Caroline's eyes narrowed in realization. Hell, maybe he was an idiot after all.

"Oh - my - god," She gaped, "You're afraid?"

He growled over his shoulder, damned perceptive bitch. "Shut up."

"The hell I will!" She shot back, stepping closer until she was inches from his face, her eyes burning with conviction, "Now you listen to me."

"The Damon Salvatore I know isn't afraid of anything. The vampire," She pushed her finger into his chest purposefully, "_My_ sire, he isn't afraid of Original's or Werewolves or doppelgangers not even Death and certainly not Love. Not after spending a hundred and fifty years chasing a bitch who didn't give a damn about him in the end, oh no, uh uh, he's better than that - He's fierce and loyal and damn it he takes what is his because he deserves it, and you protect it regardless of the cost."

He was silent as she stepped away, her eyes never leaving his as she crossed her arms in challenge.

"You done now?" He quirked an eyebrow.

She blew her fringe from her face, "Yea, pretty much."

"I had no idea you thought so highly of me Barbie?" His expression was curious and to be honest a little awed at her admission.

"If you ever dare repeat it," She warned, "I'll stake you myself."

"Fair call." He murmured.

"Look," She breathed, her arms dropping to her sides, "Whether you realize it or not, you're the best thing that has ever happened to Elena."

She ignored his scoff as she continued. "You make her laugh Damon, and I mean real honest to goodness laughter that I'd never experienced even before her parents died."

"I think you're confusing entertainment value with something else." He hissed with a scowl.

"It's not that and you know it," She shook her head adamantly, "When you're around she shines like the sun, you've seen it yourself. Her eyes are warmer, she's lighter, the most free I have ever seen her and god knows she took long enough to realize it but she - _loves -_ _you_."

She sighed at his continued silence. At least he was listening she supposed.

"More than I think she was ever capable of loving Stefan, she knew it and just like you right now, she was afraid of what loving you might mean," She took a breath, "But please, _please, _Damon, you have to make this right."

He stared at her for the longest time, there was more to this he suddenly realized, more to the almost desperate look in her eyes as she begged him.

"What's in this for you that you're so adamant I fix this?" He raised a brow curiously, her response equally as quiet as the question.

"Because I love her too."

"Don't lie to me Caroline." He tutted, "I'm your Sire, I can _tell_."

"She's my best friend," She growled in annoyance, "And I intend on keeping her. You're the best shot I have at ensuring I never have to give her up."

"Elena doesn't want to be like us," He snorted at the implication, "I think you're seriously over-estimating my influence."

"And I think you're seriously under-estimating how close she already is to making that choice."

"Oh please-"

"Elena's under no illusion that a life with you wouldn't mean eternity," She spoke quietly but surely, "I have no doubt she would follow you to the ends of the Earth if you'd only just ask."

Damon stared at the ground by his feet for the longest time before finally lifting his gaze, a renewed determination in his steely blue eyes. "How?"

"Excuse me?"

He rolled his eyes at her vacant expression. "How can I make this right?"

"Really?" She tried biting back the grin that suddenly threatened to spill out across her face unsuccessfully.

"I guess." He muttered, fidgeting in response when she looked as though she might hug him.

"She'll be at the Boarding House tonight." She practically squealed in his face.

"That stupid Halloween party?" He huffed, "Seriously?"

"Hey," She objected indignantly, "A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into organizing that party thank you very much, mostly mine and Stefan's but there was some of Elena's too, so, don't judge okay?"

"Fine," He shook his head in surrender, "But just so we're clear, I'm not wearing a damn costume in my own house."

"Be realistic Damon," She rolled her eyes, "It's less than two hours until it starts, half the town has costumes booked out already so you won't get one."

"Besides, you're a vampire. Just flash your fangs about it'll be fine."

"Just remember you suggested it," He chuckled in amusement, "I'm not cleaning up the mess if anyone passes out."

"Yea, because you're so scary," She mocked, "Anyway, at least you'll match your date."

"Huh?" His face crinkled in confusion and she nearly laughed at him outright.

"Like I said," She smirked over her shoulder as she turned towards the car park, "She's closer to choosing eternity than you realize. I think it's safe to say you'll be pleasantly surprised if her costume is anything like I think it'll be."

"You're sure about this then?" He murmured, "Elena?"

She pulled a face as if it should have been obvious as she strode across the street to her car, "I've gotta go get ready, your brother's picking me up at six."

"Hey Barbie," She paused, keys in hand at the sound of his voice, "Umm thanks, I guess-"

"This isn't just for you."

"I know." He watched as she pulled away from the curb and disappear beyond his sight.

* * *

A/N _Another chapter down and I realize this one isn't quite as long as previous chapters so I'll be posting another one later on this week to make up for it. Hope you've enjoyed this next installment. Stay tuned. Reviews = Love. L_


	6. Chapter 6

**_Apologies for the delay in updates my precious peeps, works been a nightmare!_**

**_Again TVD doesn't belong to me, alas if only it did._**

**_Please enjoy xo_**

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**Chapter 6**

It was well after dark by the time Elena arrived, the party in full swing as she'd stepped through the lavishly decorated entryway and down into the crypt that was once the parlor she'd spent the better part of a day helping Caroline create. The light from the jack-o-lanterns cast eerie shadows from every corner, the flickering of candles illuminating an assortment of cobwebs and spiders dangling precariously above the sea of ghosts, ghouls and witches that gathered on the make-shift dance floor before the roaring fire place.

She caught sight of the tall blonde wig sat atop Marie Antoinette's head and made her way through the throng of party-goers to the open terrace doors, a part of the old house they barely used at all during the light of day but tonight looked like it belonged in another world.

"Oh my god," Caroline gaped, the vampire turning with wide eyes at the sound of her friend's approach. "It's the Queen of the Damned herself."

"Hey," Elena smiled, shifting a little self-consciously under her intense gaze, "Too much?"

She hadn't been sure it was the right choice for her, but after Caroline's phone call ended her internal debate she'd gone with the gothic piece. The blood red satin and black lace giving her skin an almost stark white luminosity while the thin chains trailing across the bodice sparkled in the low light just as brightly as the ruby choker wrapped tightly around her throat.

"Oh honey, no," She beamed, "It's perfect."

Her dark lined eyes and scarlet lips made her almost unrecognizable as the girl she had been just a few hours ago, while the contacts she'd managed to find turned her brown eyes almost entirely black. A single red rose clip sitting atop her head to hold back her hair while the length of it fell over the delicate spider's web of ribbons that held the strapless gown in place.

"I don't know," Elena glanced down at the crimson liquid that trailed from lip to cleavage with a raised brow, "Maybe the blood is a bit much?"

"Hey, Caroline do you-" Stefan appeared before she could answer, his eyes wide as he gaped open mouthed at the doppelganger, "Elena, wow-"

"I think that just about answers your question." The blond vamp giggled, slipping a delicate finger under his chin as she closed his mouth.

"You're not too bad yourselves." She replied with an impressed smile, Stefan looking the part as King Louis to Caroline's Madam Du Pompadour.

"It was her idea." He nodded with only a slightly embarrassed smile.

"And a brilliant one at that." Caroline preened.

He chuckled, "I'll go grab us a drink."

"Thanks." Elena smiled as he disappeared into the crowd. "These fangs are a pain though, I don't know how you do it."

She turned to Caroline, licking the over-extended canine as it hooked over her lip.

"They would be," Caroline laughed, "Luckily ours only come out when- well-"

"There wasn't exactly a retractable option in store Care." She quipped back.

Caroline smirked, "Not yet anyway." Elena shot her a disapproving glance as Stefan returned and handed her a glass of what appeared to be blood.

"What's this?"

"Punch," Stefan smirked, taking a long sip as Elena swirled the cool liquid around her mouth experimentally. Vodka apparently, light on the cranberry, heavy on the corn syrup.

"It's good," She quirked a lip.

"I know," He grinned, "It was admittedly though the one and only thing I was allowed to do myself."

Elena snorted at the jab to the ribs he received from Caroline at the comment.

"Oh look," She grinned, catching sight of something over her Caroline's shoulder, "There's Bonnie, I'll be right back."

They watched as she disappeared through the crowd, a sudden commotion by the stairs diverting the vampires' attention.

"Seriously?" Caroline rolled her eyes with a snort. "Idiot."

Stefan raised a brow at her comment, "Who?"

"Your brother," She snickered, cocking a hip as she turned to face him, "I'm pretty sure he just flashed his fangs at the entire sophomore class."

His brows shot up. "Damon's here?"

"Of course he is, one he lives here and two I kinda didn't give him much of a choice," She gaped as if it should have been obvious, "I'd had enough of Elena being miserable and he seems to have reverted back to drinking himself into a stupor every night- did you know they weren't even talking?"

She pointed a long finger at him accusingly.

"Technically they don't have to-" He raised his brow at the implication but she waved off his objection.

"They're not even doing that kind of talking," She huffed, throwing her hands up in annoyance.

"I'll admit I haven't made a point to pry," He sighed, "Especially considering the only person he's trusted enough to open up to in a century and a half just happens to be the one he's apparently avoiding."

"Idiots," She scoffed, "The both of them. Too stubborn to see what's right in front of them-"

He chuckled at that, "You know it's funny considering just over two weeks ago I was ready to stake him over this whole thing."

"I know." Caroline took his hand.

"But I've been watching them apart, watching them hurting," He sighed, "He better fix this- them- they seem to balance each other in a way that I don't think Elena and I could ever have managed."

She cocked her head, intrigued. "In what way?"

"Elena's honest and caring almost to a fault," He breathed, "But underneath it all, deep down there's this darkness that she can't escape no matter how hard she tries, she's seen too much, suffered too greatly. I think we're both too alike in that regard."

"The Ripper," She whispered her agreement with a nod, "Where Damon acts like the monster but deep down-"

"He's a good man," Stefan squeezed her hand, "Even if she's the only one he lets see it."

"Admittedly though," Caroline replied thoughtfully, catching sight of the brunette across the room on a direct course with the elder brother, "It did take a hundred and fifty years and two doppelgangers for him to work it out."

"Maybe there's hope for us yet." He quipped letting her pull him to the dance floor.

"Let's just hope the same is true for the two of them." She rolled her eyes towards the pair.

He scoffed as he spun them across the floor, "You forget we're dealing with the two most stubborn people in the entire world, we'll be lucky if the house is still standing by morning."

Damon could hear them talking over the crowd but barely registered a single word as he'd stopped breathing entirely, his newly procured glass of Scotch remaining still against his lips as he'd locked eyes on the girl that had been haunting his dreams.

"Elena."

He was in awe, watching as she floated towards him in all that glorious satin and lace, the flash of canine doing him in as it peaked out from her lips just as the tantalizing curl of blood across her perfect bosom was almost the last straw holding him back from taking her then and there.

He was well aware he might have been staring when she lifted her black eyes from the floor, the sight toying with that last tenure of control he had as she laughed with Bonnie and caught sight of him. For a moment her eyes ran almost hungrily over the length of him before settling on his face as she stilled.

"Damon, you're here?" He sauntered towards her, his impeccably tailored suit doing nothing but make it harder for her to concentrate. "I didn't know you were coming?"

"I live here," He shrugged, tossing back his liquor, "Plus Barbie pulled rank."

He nodded towards Caroline and Stefan as they twirled the floor.

Her lip curled in amusement, her dark eyes searching the crowd for his shadow, "Where's Andie?"

"On a hot date with Tony from accounting," He slipped a hand into his pocket as he contemplated her with a smirk, "We met once, but I've never had a particular interest in who she dates."

"But I thought you two were like-" She frowned, "Together?"

"Nope." He popped, tossing back another mouthful of his drink.

She shook her head, "But earlier today you were-"

"Tony's been a little…resistant as it were…to her charms," He winked, "Add in a little me and, well, it speaks for itself really. So tonight I'm free and easy."

"You're her wingman?" She gaped up at him incredulously, a slight chuckle slipping from her lips. "Really?"

"If that's what you wanna call it," He shrugged, taking a mouthful of his drink as he skimmed against her thoughts, "How 'bout you? No prince of darkness lurking around I should know about?"

"No," She shook her head, wondering if he'd actually pulled the idea from her head, the term fitting what he felt like to her absolutely perfectly. "Just me."

"The vampire queen goes solo," He rolled his eyes in that way that made her blush, she didn't disappoint, "I like it."

He downed the remainder of his drink, passing the glass off on some unsuspecting teen before offering out his arm, "Allow me to escort you to the dance floor then my queen?"

He watched her gaze narrow, finally settling on his eyes as she tried to read him. A moment passed until she hesitantly reached out to take the offered arm after apparently finding whatever it was she was looking for.

"I'll allow this." She raised her head regally, the look passing between them an agreement of sorts that she'd play his game for now, "But rest assured though my good Sir, there are those at my disposal that would hunt you down to the very ends of the Earth should there be any signs of funny business."

"I wouldn't dare doubt you for a second." He nodded, a smirk beginning to turn his lip as he pulled her against him and flung them into the sea of dancers.

"Careful," She couldn't help but laugh as he practically knocked the wind out of her, "Human here, you'll make me sick."

"Nah," He grinned as they twirled past Caroline and Stefan, "You can take it. You've never been quite as fragile as you were made out to be."

"Oh really," She raised her brow in response, "So all that, it's too dangerous Elena, you can't do that Elena," She mocked, "I must have imagined that hmm?"

"There's still a big difference between _not_ fragile and indestructible, _Elena_." He quipped, dipping her low before pulling her back to his chest just a seamlessly.

"Wow." She steadied herself against him, "Where did you even learn to do that?"

"Told you," He offered a lop-sided grin, "I have moves you've never seen before."

She seemed to sober at that, stepping out of his embrace and ignoring the confused expression that turned his face.

"Elena?" God damn it she looked almost broken.

"I-"

A flash went off in close proximity, the pair turning towards the photographer as he ordered them together as he readied his shot.

Damon let his fangs unsheathe just as another flash blinded them and she poked him firmly in the ribs, a warning in her dark eyes as she shook her head.

"What?" He shrugged, not sorry in the slightest.

_Behave_

He stilled at the feeling of her in his head once more.

_So we're talking again now are we?_

She turned to glare up at him.

_I wasn't the one that pulled away, you stopped talking to me._

His face betrayed nothing as several more flashes went off around them, but he was too absorbed in their debate to register if they were actually being photographed or not.

_You turned away from me the second Stefan crawled his ass out of the damn basement._

He could see her bristle out of the corner of his eye.

_You're the one that disappeared! I'd never needed your support more than I did in that moment Damon and you took off!_

She felt his temper flare in her mind.

_I've barely been away from you since before this whole thing started, if you'd been paying attention you'd have known that, but no, instead of getting the facts straight you jumped up on your high horse all jealous and self-righteous-_

"Go to hell!" She hissed, hitching up her skirts as she stormed away. The sea of costumed attendees effectively shielding her escape as she darted out the terrace doors and into the almost pitch black of the Salvatore's gardens.

"Stupid vampire Jerk." She muttered, storming through the maze of bushes she suddenly wished she'd spent more time in during the day.

She stilled when his voice reached her ears. "You know you can't run from me forever Elena."

"No," She snapped, rounding another corner, "But I can try."

He suddenly appeared in front of her and she growled as she stepped around him, "Leave me alone Damon."

He flashed ahead of her again "You of all people know how bad I am at actually doing what I'm told."

"You're in my way," She glared as she barged his shoulder on her way past, "Look, I'm tired and I just want to go home and pretend like tonight never happened."

"Then I'm coming with you." He followed along beside her.

"What? No, Damon," She shot back over her shoulder, "I'm serious. I'm exhausted and I have no inclination to fight with you."

"So that's it then?" He hissed incredulously at her retreating back, crossing his arms, "You're just giving up?"

"I'm going home." She corrected as she walked away, her heart aching more with each step she took away from him.

"For the record," He called after her, "I've always thought you were worth fighting for."

She almost stumbled over her own feet at his words.

"Funny thing is," He mused, "I was pretty sure you'd thought I was too."

She turned to face him with an unreadable expression. "What?"

He shrugged, "I probably won't ever stop either."

"You-" She started.

"But you're right about one thing," He added as he took a step closer, "This is exhausting, this constant back and forth between us, the uncertainty. I'm not gonna lie it's giving me a bigger migraine than Bon Bon on a bad day."

"Yea?" She gave a watery laugh at that, nodding her agreement. The two of them so close now she could feel the heat of him warming her despite the cold night air. "Me too."

"I have something of yours," He murmured, brushing her cheek as he slipped a hand into her hair and pulled her forward, "I think it's time I gave it back."

"What?"

He pressed his lips to her forehead, wrapping an arm around her small waist as her knees buckled with the shock of her returned memories from the night he'd saved her from Elijah.

"Oh." The realization left her almost breathless.

"Yea."

"I always wondered how I got it back." She murmured, his name leaving her lips like a prayer as she grasped at his suit front, "Damon why would you take that away from me?"

"It wasn't your burden to bear." He offered a small shrug in response.

She shook her head, her fists clenching tighter into the fabric, "I spent this whole time thinking you didn't care- that you hated me-"

"I know." His eyes slid closed in regret as he smoothed his hands up her arms, "I know."

"Why?" Mascara stained her cheeks as she stared up at him.

"Because you terrify me," He hissed, eyes wide as he held her face in his hands, "What I feel for you, what I want _with_ you-"

He sighed, gently wiping her tears away with his thumbs as he shook his head, "I have never wanted anything, craved it, not once in my entire existence, like I do you."

"Nothing and no-one has ever come close, not even Katherine," He murmured, gently pushing a stray hair behind her ear, "Do you understand that?"

"Yes," She whispered, pressing their foreheads together with a nod as she closed her eyes.

"I'm damaged goods, Elena." He whispered, his breath ghosting her lips, "I've all but given you the power to destroy me already-"

"I won't," She whispered back, "I would never."

They stood in silence for a time before he spoke again.

"If I'm going to trust you with this," He murmured with a heavy sigh, "Don't break me Gilbert. Cause' I'm not sure it wouldn't kill me for good if you did."

Her breath left her lips in a rush, a smile ghosting across her features as she slipped her arms under the warmth of his jacket.

_I promise._

"I know." He breathed.

"This is right," She smirked up at him when she pulled back, "You and me."

"Told you as much didn't I?" He drawled, slipping from her grasp to drag her along behind him.

She snorted, pouting in confusion as she stumbled over her dress, "Wait, where are we going?".

"Back to the party, obviously," He rolled his eyes, lifting her into his arms as he sped back to the darkened terrace and returned her to her feet, "Barbie would never forgive us if we bailed."

"Since when have you cared about disappointing Caroline?" She laughed, following him inside and accepting a glass he snatched from a passing waiter.

"Let's just say we've reached an understanding." He smirked at her raised eyebrow.

"Should I be concerned?" She queried, taking a long mouthful of the Scotch he'd handed her.

"Probably," He shrugged, studying her costume with a sudden thoughtful intensity as he tossed back his drink, "What concerns me more right now though is how much you paid for that dress."

"What?" She glanced down at it indignantly, "Why? What's wrong with it?"

"Not a damn thing," He assured her before she suddenly felt his lips brush against her ear, "I just wanted to know how much I'm up for after I've torn it to shreds."

Her hand shot to her mouth to keep her drink from exiting her nose, "God damn it." She muttered, swallowing audibly as he consumed all her senses at once. Her eyes shot open as his amusement danced through her mind as he pulled away.

She smacked at his chest with a pout. "Unfair."

"Hardly." He scoffed pulling her firmly against his front, "Now that," He ground his hips against her, smirking as she squeaked in surprise, "That's what I call unfair."

"Damon?" He smirked at the blush that bloomed across her chest and neck, the rush of blood making his gums throb as he took her hand and led her to the dance floor.

"Obviously, because I'm a gentleman and all," He drawled, "I choose not to comment on it _every _time you're close."

She had to admit the bond had been doing some pretty crazy things to her too.

"It's not the bond," He groaned in annoyance, "It's you."

"Get out of my head." She pouted adorably and he couldn't help but chuckle.

"No can do Sassy Pants," He smirked in response, "I will admit though, the tether has some interesting qualities I wouldn't mind taking for a spin."

He shot her a mental image that had her blushing again within seconds, grinning wickedly as she released a long unsteady stream of breath against his collar.

"You get me out of here," She murmured, "And I might just take you up on it."

At that he immediately stilled, shooting a glance around the room before pulling her towards the stairs at a barely human pace.

"What about Caroline?" She laughed as he lifted her from the ground.

"What about Caroline?" He snorted, suddenly they were down the hall in front of his door and he returned her to her feet.

"She'll never forgive us for this." She grinned across at him as they lent on opposite sides of the door.

"Oh I'm pretty sure she will." He smirked, pushing the door open and gesturing for her to go first. "So this is how this is going down."

He stalked across the room towards her as she stood by the foot of his bed. "Consider this a pit stop," He lent in close, his words a whispered breath across her skin, "On our way to getting the fuck outta dodge."

"Timeout?" She breathed unsteadily.

"Hell yes." He agreed, "But first you need clothes, a bag, passport-"

He nipped at her pulse with blunt teeth, raking his fingers up her sides as he spoke. "I'll meet you back here and then we're gone."

She gaped when he suddenly shot across the room leaving her to stand up of her own volition, his eye's glinting lecherously as he stuck his head around the corner of his closet.

"And leave that on."

"Yes Sir." She saluted, hitching up her dress as she took off for the door.

"You're damn right."

He flashed around the room, tossing a few things into a bag before practically skipping towards the staircase and stilling in confusion when he found Elena stood at the top.

"Elena?" He chuckled curiously, "Quit dawdling baby cakes I thought you were getting-"

"Damon," She whimpered, fear burning in her brown eyes as she turned, "It hurts-"

"What?" All he could register was the blood that seeped from around the knife in her chest, pouring from her tiny body as she staggered to her knees before him.

"No."

"NO!"

* * *

A/N - ooooooh dun dun dun!

Hope you've enjoyed yourselves. Reviews = Love xox L.


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